1.Stick to your priorities: Don’t agree to do something if you have something important already lined up beforehand. Tell them you cannot cancel the plan as that is also very important otherwise you would have definitely helped.

2.Check your schedule: Make sure that by accepting someone else’s work you are not missing on your own deadlines. If so do not accept his/her request.

3.Avoid falling into the ‘yes’ trap: There will be many loafers around you who will put their work on your desk. Don’t be naive to say yes always or else it will become a habit and you will always be overloaded with work.

4.Stand up for yourself: It’s a dynamic fast paced business world out there. Pressure from all ends is most likely. But it is you who will suffer if you let the pressure take better of you. If you feel your personal time is being intruded upon, stand up and say no unless it is absolutely essential.

5.Know who your friends are: Remember that it’s not important to wait back for every Friday night get-together with office friends. Know who your actual friends are and who are just office buddies. This will make it easier for you to say no when it is necessary.

6.Measure the worth of extra work: If you feel that the added work is not going to help you learn anything or gain otherwise, just say a straight forward no. There is no point wasting time on such things.

7.Suggest alternatives: In case your boss or colleagues are dumping work on you, suggest alternatives of splitting up work or giving it to someone else or rescheduling submission dates etc. This is an indirect way of saying no.

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Keywords: priorities, plan,schedule, loafers, business world , office buddies, boss ,colleagues