Learn to say no

Responding to your boss or to your superiors in the negative would normally be high on the list of things to avoid in the workplace, but for the good of your productivity, your health and indeed your sanity, it sometimes pays to say no.

In work, as in life, constantly pandering to the needs of others can turn you into something of a pushover and before you know it, going above and beyond the call of duty will become a matter of habit in spite of the fact that you are not receiving ample rewards for your efforts.

Furthermore, such an approach will cement your reputation as a walk over. Colleagues will know they can go to you with extra tasks and you may even end up resenting them for it, even though it was your refusal to put your foot down that caused the friction in first place.

Before we go any further, this isn't a license to say no to every other request put in your direction because we told you to, that's just plain lazy. If you have enough time and it doesn't infringe too much on your existing workload, you should do whatever you can to help out, it will go down extremely well with your fellow workmates and superiors. What's more they'll be more than happy to return the favour in your hour of need.

But when these extra commitments begin to affect your own work, eat into your lunch hour and see you putting in marathon shifts and extra days in the office, then it's time to consider whether it is all worthwhile. It can cause stress, anxiety and fatigue and by always assisting others, you will be compromising your own work. Here are a few tips to avoid being the office pushover without affecting your status within the workplace.

Say it softly

When responding to a request for a task that you simply cannot fulfil because of your own obligations, try to avoid a blunt 'no'. Explain to your colleague the extent of your own workload and offer to assist them at a later time when it might be more suitable. If you refuse a request inconsiderately and without explanation, you will probably be considered cold and aloof and your relationships with other workers will be affected.

Once is enough

When you have refused the request, leave it at that. If you keep apologising to your colleague after the initial refusal, they may form the impression that your original excuse was not valid and that you have been thinking about nothing else since. If you keep bringing it up, they might feel that you can be got around eventually.

Avoid over complaining

If you explain to your superior that a single specific task is taking up too much time, they will more than likely take you at face value and give you sufficient breathing space. If you constantly complain that your general overall workload is too taxing, it could affect your reputation in the eyes of your bosses, especially if other colleagues are doing similar tasks without too much difficulty.

Practise what you preach

It goes without saying that if you feel the need to say no to the constant requests of others; you should refrain from loading your excess duties on fellow workers. If you've successfully and politely declined extra work and still find yourself completely overburdened, then it's something you need to take up with your boss. Again, try and avoid being too complacent. Point out clearly the areas where you feel you are being overworked and try and work out a simple solution.

Nick Bradshaw