Like most of us, I struggled to tell co-workers no. It was only when I received my first review here at my current job that I knew that telling my co-workers no was a must.
I am direct with all of them. "Sorry <name>, but I'm working on this <project> for Ken right now and I won't have time to work on anything else for 3 days." Or something to that nature.
What I have learned was that many of their "projects" were things that they could do by themselves. For example: Mary need me to do tabs for her binder. She asked me in the morning and I told her that I was working on a presentation for Ken and it was going to be an all day project. Even after I said this Mary continued to pester me about the tabs. Now Jenny is asking me to fax a document....oh wait here comes Frank asking me to type a memo for him. So I told them all no and when they didn't get it I was forced to go to my bosses and have them handle the situation.
Which they did! So now everyone MUST ask me what I'm working before they give me something to do. I love it!
Direct with respect is the best approach.
Bridget
