Scan the shelves at any self-help section in a bookstore, and you’ll see at least a handful of books devoted to teaching you how to set boundaries. Within each book, there’s always an explanation of why part of boundary-setting is to just say no, yet this can be the most difficult tiny word to utter.

In the academic realm, it’s a given that your job description isn’t limited to what’s in the contract you signed. Going above and beyond the call of duty is the only way to keep your job in a competitive environment. But this reality is also the reason why the educational field is losing teachers at a never-before-seen rate, and why career burnout amongst educators and researchers is such a serious problem.

More now than ever, you must learn how to prioritize tasks, and that means at some point, you may have to tell your department chair “no.” The key is to learn how to do this with professionalism and grace, rather than waiting until you’re overwhelmed and overloaded, and acting with regrettable conduct.

When It’s OK To Say No To Your Department Chair

Your department chair is your immediate supervisor. As such, they tend to know more about what’s coming down the pipeline than you do, and they have a direct tie to those in charge of renewing your contract. It’s a pretty big deal when you say no to them, particularly if it’s for something important.

Still, sometimes refusing a request is better in the long run than putting yourself on overload or being unable to fulfill your duties. The next time your chair asks you to do something, don’t immediately agree to it. First, think through this process: 

●      Consider the importance of the job. Is it something that only you can do? Is it in your written job description? Is the fate of the world hanging in the balance? Chances are, it’s not a life-or-death request, and your job doesn’t hinge on you accepting this one request. If it truly is that crucial, you should probably agree to it and reassess your other tasks. However, if it’s not vital to your career or someone’s life, and you’re already up to your eyeballs in work, let them know that you don’t have the capacity to take anything else on and put 100% into it right now.

●      So it’s not a life-or-death matter, but you’re still considering that “yes” response. Before you do, think about what you’re about to agree to do. Ask details about the job description, what it entails, what your role is, and estimate how long it will take. Apply that time to something else you need to do, or something you want to do with any free time you might get someday, and see if it’s worth the gain.

●      Okay, so the time component is in your favor. You could do it, and it would be worth the time it takes to get the job done. But is your calendar wide open? Check your schedule and ensure you have the time to devote to this task. You might be overlooking a conference you agreed to present, a grant proposal deadline, or a research project due date for your class that means a lot of extra grading time for you.

How to Decline a Request Gracefully

After you go through that mental process, do you still think saying yes is your best decision? If so, great! But you’re going to face the dilemma again, so keep that process as an automatic step you take before saying yes to anyone, not just your department chair.

On the other hand, if those three thoughts bring you to no, no, no, remember to do so professionally. There are ways to decline the request and keep your status with the other person, such as:

●      I would love to help, but I am already at my maximum capacity. I wouldn’t be able to put even 80% into the job right now, and it deserves someone’s full attention.

●      I’m currently in the middle of (list your in-depth projects), and if I take on anything else, it could jeopardize the results.

●      That requires skills I’m not comfortable with, but I know that (suggest someone) is talented in that area.

●      Right now, I have a lot of obligations. If you can get rid of any of them, I might be able to help you.

When something comes up that you have a hard time saying no to, consider reaching out to other experts on Impactio, America’s leading scientific networking platform. These academic scholars have likely been in your shoes, and they may have advice on what worked for them. One thing is for sure: You must learn how to say no, or your research career could end in burnout. Let Impactio’s tools and the community you find as a member make your job easier.