[wilsonng]

I never say yes the first time. I just tell them "I can't discuss it right now without checking my schedule. No, no, I insist. I have to check my schedule. I will get back to you later on today."

That usually keeps them at bay. If they insist, I don't take the file or paper that they try to give to me. I need to know more about what project/task they are attempting to delegate to me. The simple act of me receiving the paper may indicate to them that I accepted the paper.

I've had the hit and run tactic before where they would try to drop it off and immediately run away like it's a game of hot potato. I'll quickly look over it and determine whether I can really do this or if it is something that can be easily done by someone else. Later I'll meet the person and give it back to them saying "sorry but my workload is already full. you'll have to delegate this to someone else or do it yourself."

I've heard the "Boss has asked me to give it to you" trick as well. I always check and follow up to make sure that it actually came from the boss. I don't stand for people just shoveling it to me when all they're thinking about it cocktail hour after work.

The hardest part about this was in the beginning and learning to finally say no. The thing you need to know is to default the answer to no. Delay the decision to accept until after you've seen your calendar and OmniFocus.

This has trained my colleagues to never give me something unless they are armed with enough ammo to shovel it to me. If it is a task that I know someone else can do, I usually hand it back to the original person and tell them to do it themselves or find one of the office interns to help you. I know I can accept assignments if I am the only one in the office who can do the job.

Say no. They'll get over it.

Another strategy I use is to present my boss with the folders holding the projects or cases I'm working on. I tell him "this is my workload for the week. If you ask me to take on the new Johnson case, I'm gonna have to delay work on one of these previous cases. Which one of these cases do you want to delegate to someone else so that I can work on the new Johnson case or to delay until I finish?00"

At first, it was intimidating asking the boss this question. But over time, he realized that I was already and started to eventually hand out cases more readily to the others in my office. If you keep silent, your boss thinks you're capable of taking on more.

I remember the time when I was a young child and my mother would keep trying to shovel more food into my mouth even after I told them I was full. Eventually she learned that kids would have their own eating schedule and will eat when they are hungry. Then I became a teenager and ate way too much.


In iCal, I usually just put one big appointment block with the project name on it to indicate I'm working on it. I'll sum up the estimated time for all the tasks required to finish the project and block out an appointment just for that one project.


I know it's not the same as looking at tasks but I tend to simplify things. The Johnson case will have many sub-tasks and I usually don't like to see subtasks in the calendar. I just prefer to put the project name in the appointment block that I have in iCal. Cleaner and easier to read that way.


I look first at the calendar to look at all the appointments I need to keep. Then I look at OmniFocus to look at my "Today" perspective which includes my Due soon & Flagged. I work on those tasks first. Then I look at the next action perspective only when I feel I have finished as many of my Today perspective items as I can.

The next action perspective is used when I do have a free block of time and want to knock off some of the smaller projects or tasks.