How to Avoid Taking on Too Many Work Projects and Still Be Known as a Great Colleague   

At the office, fulfilling your primary job responsibilities is important for obvious reasons.  However, it is not uncommon in our professional lives to feel ourselves overwhelmed by requests, some that fall squarely within our realm of responsibility, and others that fall more into the category of favors for co­workers. While helping out co­workers can be critical for building internal relationships and often for aiding the success of your organization, taking on too much doesn’t help anyone. Why?  Because it can be easy to say yes to everything, only to find yourself stressed out and unable to meet your obligations.

You only have to experience this situation one or two times before you start wanting to refuse all requests, and a simple Google search will bring up countless articles on how to say “no” at work. While setting boundaries is important, especially if you feel that you are being taken advantage of, frequent outright refusals on your part can make you seem not to be a team player. (Indeed, we can all think of that one person at work who we know not to bother to ask for help, and they often don’t have the best reputation!).

There is a difference, however, between setting reasonable boundaries that keep you from being pulled in too many different directions, and being seen as someone who cannot be counted on. Here are three questions to help you navigate the difference:

What is the Nature of the “Ask”?
When someone comes to you with a request that is outside of your direct responsibilities or will pull you away from a current project, ask yourself the following to assess the nature of the ask:

• • • Will you be helping with something that is a big priority for the organization and your participation will allow you to be viewed positively by upper management?
    • Will you be helping a person or team that you work with frequently and rely on for support in your core job functions?
    • Are you being asked to contribute a specific skill set that is unique to you within the organization and therefore saying no will put the project at serious risk?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it is likely worthwhile to examine how you could comply with the request. If, on the other hand, you feel that you are being asked to do something that does not fall into one of these categories and will put your own work priorities at risk, it is probably best to refuse. How?  Honesty is the best policy here. Let them know that in general you enjoy helping out, but given that nature of the request and its impact on your current responsibilities, you won’t be able to lend a hand.

How Will this Affect my Current Priorities?
Would complying with this request put your own work priorities at risk? If so, proceed with extreme caution. It is important not to jeopardize responsibilities on which your success at the organization will be judged. If helping out will mean not completing your own responsibilities, talk to your manager. It is important to be honest with yourself and with your supervisors and colleagues about what it will really take to complete the request and what will have to be put aside.

Who Is Asking?
The position of the person making the request is important:

• • • If it is your direct supervisor, it is likely in your best interest to comply, but again, you need to be honest about what this will mean for your other priorities, and adjust expectations.
    • If the person making the request is someone above your manager, you should let them know you will get back to them and discuss it with your manager first. It is tempting to just say yes when someone high up in the organization makes a request of you, but it is your manager’s responsibility to ensure that your time is being used wisely, and even CEOs are prone to making requests that have little value.
    • At the other extreme is the case of a colleague who is known to push off work on others, or go overboard about low-priority tasks, sucking up staff resources for projects that have little real value.

So, when one of these people comes around with an “urgent request” or asks for a favor, you need to let them know firmly, but politely, that you cannot help out. Be clear about why (­­the impact it will unfortunately have on your responsibilities), ­­wish them luck, and send them on their way.

Obviously, not all choices will be this clear-cut, but asking yourself these three main questions listed above — before taking on new projects — will help you keep your sanity while still being a part of the team.