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“Overwhelmed with Work? How to Politely Decline More Tasks”
If you are asked to take on additional work but do not have the capacity to do so, you should approach the matter professionally and courteously. Here are some possible actions:
- Thank the individual for consideration: Thank the individual for considering you for the additional job. This will demonstrate your appreciation for the chance and their confidence in your ability.
- Express your appreciation for your existing responsibilities: Inform the person that you are glad for the work you now have, but that you are unable to accept further work at this time.
- Justify your position: Explain it in a professional manner if you have a clear reason for declining additional work, such as a tight deadline on a current project or a personal obligation.
- Provide alternatives: If possible, provide options for handling the added task. This could involve outsourcing the work to another team member or suggesting a more convenient timetable.
- End on a positive note: End on a positive note by thanking the individual again for considering you and expressing your desire to assist in the future if your workload allows.
Example Response:
“Thank you for considering me for this additional task. Unfortunately, at the moment, I have a lot of work on my plate, and I am concerned that taking on more work may impact my ability to deliver quality work on time. I apologize for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause. However, I can suggest delegating the task to someone else or postponing it until I have more availability. Once again, thank you for considering me, and I appreciate your understanding.”
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33 Replies
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Thanks for the advice! If you’re overloaded or overworked, learning how to gently refuse extra chores might be crucial. Your recommendations are great.
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This is very helpful! I would definitely keep this in mind.
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I completely agree! It’s important to handle these situations in a professional and courteous manner.
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Thanks^^ I learned a lot!
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Thanks for sharing this
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Thank you so much for sharing.
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Thanks for sharing this
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thanks for sharing this.
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Thanks, this is really helpful! Ending on a positive note with gratitude and willingness to assist in the future can leave a lasting positive impression and potentially open doors for future opportunities.
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Thanks for sharing this info
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This is helpful, thank you for sharing
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Never knew we can do that, thanks!
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Show appreciation for the opportunity to take on more work and express gratitude for their understanding.
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Thank you for giving helpful advice on how to deal with calls for more work when one is already busy. Key parts of a professional and polite response to the situation are expressing gratitude, describing why you can’t take on more work right now, giving alternatives, and finishing on a positive note.
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This helps a lot, thank you.
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tyyyy
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thanks for sharing
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Very helpful advice
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i complete agree with that
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