How to (Nicely) Say No to an Unwanted Project

How to (Nicely) Say No to an Unwanted ProjectHow to (Nicely) Say No to an Unwanted ProjectWhen I quit my 9-to-5 job and started my own independent writing and communication consultancy, I thought my days of having to deal with boring, annoying projects were over. As an entrepreneur, I got to pick and choose my own clients, design my own workdays, select my own self-directed goals. Total freedom and sovereignty, right?Mostly. But not quite.As Ive learned, fur years into the game, it doesnt matter if youve got one boss in the eckball office or 1,000 online customers- occasionally, a project you really dont want to deal with is going to plop into your inbox.It might be a client asking you to drop everything to help him hit an urgent deadline. (When you explicitly told him you dont work on weekends.)It might be a colleague asking you to review a grant proposal shes about to submit, just to give her your two cents. (Just 40 pages. Shouldnt take you long, right?)Or it might be a distant re lative pleading for your help with a resume, a cover letter, or research for the job hunt.And when that unwanted project arrives?Its imperative that you learn how to say no- respectfully, but firmly.Because without clear communication in place, those kinds of projects will just keep coming, draining your time and energy, wobbling the boundaries around you.But, as we all know, saying Um, I dont want to do that can be tricky. So, to help you find the right words, here are three scripts to help you say no (nicely, of course) for three common scenarios at work.When the Unwanted Project is Part of Your Job, But Youre Already Overwhelmed With Other ProjectsHey persons personenname,Thanks for the details and clear instructions. Much appreciated. Heres whats on my to-do list right nowBriefly list the top 3-5 projects youre currently working on, to reiterate your value- and busyness.Based on our last conversation, it feels like the projects I just listed are top priority.Shall I keep moving forward with those, and shelve new project for later? That would be my preference, because Id love to ride the momentum and get those done first.Or is new project my new top priority?Thanks for clarifying.Happy TuesdayYour name hereWhen the Unwanted Project is Part of Your Job, but Seems Kind of Pointless, Redundant, or UnnecessaryHey persons name,Just got your note. At our last meeting, we decided that our goals for the next few months are to describe a few goals here, with an overall focus on big focus here.This project seems like a great way to describe possible benefit here, but Im wondering if it aligns with our bigger goals right now.Just playing devils advocate here. Your thoughts?I want to make sure Im investing my time where its most needed, in the best possible order. Let me know.ThanksYour name hereWhen the Unwanted Project is Not Part of Your Job, PeriodHey persons name,Thanks for your note.This project looks like a fun challenge, but- unless Im misunderstanding your ins tructions- it definitely falls outside of my skill set. It sounds like an ideal assignment for name of other person, position, role, or team. They generally handle projects like the one you described.Shall I forward your instructions onto them, or would you like to take it from here?Thanks again.Your name hereIt goes without saying, but Ill say it anywayYou may need to modify these scripts to suit your personality, your companys communication policies, your position, and your relationship with whomever is making the request (a boss, a friend, a parent, a peer). But these scripts ought to give you some basic bone structure. Tuck them in the drafts folder of your inbox (or set them up as a Gmail canned response), so theyre handy when you need to grab one and go.Heres to sane workloads- and humane, respectful nos.Photo courtesy of Lindsay Upson / Getty Images.