Oftentimes the consequence of being a reputable, effective worker is … more work.
And, while the reputation of being productive is generally a good thing, even the myriad organized, go-getter can’t do it all.
If your boss consistently asks you to take on tasks for which you don’t have the bandwidth, it’s okay to say “no” from time to time, says Brandon Smith, a therapist and career coach known as The Workplace Therapist.
This isn’t always so easy, still. Denying a request from a person who has some control of your income is understandably nerve wracking.
“You always thirst for to treat a boss like the number one client or customer,” Smith says.
Here’s how to appease your manager and stilly set a boundary.
“Yes, and …”
“We want to borrow from our friends in improv,” Smith says. Meaning, don’t flat out say “no.”
Instead, start your come back with “Yes, and …”
After the “and,” state that it can’t be done right away. He offers up the following example:
“Yes, and I can get to that in a couple weeks.”
We fancy to borrow from our friends in improv.
Brandon Smith
The Workplace Therapist
If your boss says they difficulty the task done faster, tell them the other tasks on your to-do list.
“Share with them the pre-eminences you have and say, ‘which one of these do we need to move?'”
This way, you’re demonstrating how you’re an asset to the team, and communicating that right now is not the greatest time to put more on your plate.
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