How to tell your Superior you can't take on additional work

Your firm has "downsized" - - lawyers have either quit or are being laid off. Fortunately, you are not in either category: but, because there are now fewer lawyers to handle the caseload, more work is being piled on the desks of those lawyers who remain.

Your Superior is a world-class delegator.  He/She has no hesitation in handing out work to others. YOU happen to be his/her favorite person to whom they delegate because you are a committed, thorough, skilled lawyer.  You "get the job done" - - and get it done well.

However, there comes a point where you feel that you just cannot take on anymore work.  But, you are not good at saying, "No," - - particularly, to your Superior.  In fact, just the opposite. You are the type of person that wants "to please" others - - so, instead of saying "No," you are apt to say "Yes," regardless of the circumstances.

But, there comes a points when the old saying, "the straw that broke the Camel's back" - becomes true.  In your case, one more new case could cause you to "crash."  So, what to do?

Well, try to think of your Superior's perspective - - he/she is probably crazy busy themselves and not keeping track of everything you are doing.  So, when your Superior asked (or told) you to take on an additional item, he/she may not be keeping track of everything you are doing.  Your Superior probably did not give this latest delegated item a second thought.  But you are smart enough to know that if you took on too many items, you might start stressing and hurrying, making mistakes and missing deadlines. Neither you nor your firm want that to occur.

So, whether you like it or not, you are going to have to tell your Superior that as much as you'd like to help him/her out and please them on this one, YOU JUST CAN'T RIGHT NOW.

A good strategy might be to ask your Superior to help you prioritize what you have to do.  That will give the two of you a chance to sit down and look at the reality of your schedule.  In all probability, your Superior will acknowledge that reality when faced with the facts you provide, and you won't find yourself having to make excuses about your work (e.g. mistakes, missed deadlines, etc.) further down the line.