Showerthought: I started telling people 'I don't have the bandwidth for that' instead of just saying yes

I was always the person who got stuck with extra work at my job because I couldn't say no. Last Tuesday, my manager tried to dump a printer migration project on me during my lunch. I said the phrase flat out, and he just nodded and walked away. Has anyone else found a specific phrase that actually works to set a hard boundary?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowanellis15d ago

That phrase is a game changer. My old go-to was "I'm at capacity," which just made people ask what my capacity was. Like I'm a human USB stick. "Bandwidth" sounds more official, like a tech problem they can't argue with. Took me years to learn you don't need a "good" reason to say no, just a clear one.

parker_sullivan15d ago

Wait, but isn't that just hiding behind a different word? I mean, @rowanellis, people can still ask what's using up your bandwidth just like they asked about your capacity. It feels like swapping one buzzword for another instead of just being straight. Maybe we should just say "I can't take that on" and leave it at that.

charles_green9515d ago

Seriously, I read somewhere that using work jargon makes a "no" sound less personal. Bandwidth totally fits that bill.