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Updated September 2026: in September 2019, after a rocky start on an opportunity, I asked my manager to take me off it, citing my upcoming leave, and pointed to my earlier email labelling the deck as a draft. He insisted I continue. I have rewritten it into advice on asking to be taken off a project, and what to do if the answer is no.

I showed my manager the email in which I had told the delivery person the deck was a draft based on suggested topics, to be customised later. The opportunity had not even properly started and was already full of drama. I wanted out and mentioned my leave later that week. He insisted I could support it anyway, and a heated conversation followed.

When is it reasonable to ask to leave a project?

When there is a real reason: a clash with approved leave, a workload that cannot fit, or a working relationship that has broken down. Frustration alone rarely persuades a manager. Specific constraints do.

How should you ask?

• Lead with facts: your leave dates, other commitments and the project's timeline.
• Offer a handover: what you will complete and who could take over.
• Stay calm: a heated conversation makes the manager defend the decision.

What if the answer is no?

Agree the terms instead. Ask what exactly is needed before your leave, who covers during it and what happens on your return. A defined commitment is much easier to accept than an open one.

Did the draft email help?

Yes. It showed the early deck was never presented as final, which answered the criticism. Labelling drafts clearly is a small habit that protects you in exactly these moments.

How do you recover the relationship after a heated talk?

Follow up the next day with a short, calm message confirming what was agreed. It resets the tone and creates a record.

What should you avoid?

Disengaging while staying on the project. Doing the minimum after being refused tends to confirm the manager's decision and damages your reputation.

Keep reading

• Partial Weekend Support: Setting Clear Limits
• Covering a Colleague's Work and Handing It Back
• Work Handed Over at the End of the Day: How to Respond

Updated September 2026: in 2019 I described a day that went smoothly: I gathered information from several sources, then went through each slide with the offshore delivery contact after lunch ahead of the evening call. I have rewritten it into a routine for preparing a deck with a colleague before a client-side review.

After a quick morning check-in with the offshore delivery contact, we agreed to meet after lunch. I spent the morning searching several sources for the information the slides needed and putting the required slides in place. In the afternoon call, we went through each slide and updated them together. The evening review went well.

Why did this day work?

Because of a simple rhythm: align in the morning, work independently, review together, then present. Each person knew what to do, and the review happened before the call rather than on it.

What should the morning check-in cover?

• What the evening call needs to see.
• Who gathers which information.
• When you will review together.

Five to ten minutes is enough.

How do you gather information efficiently?

Start with the repository and recent proposals, then client documents, then colleagues for gaps. Note the source of each fact, so questions on the call can be answered quickly.

How should the joint review work?

Walk through each slide against the client's requirements. Agree changes on the spot where possible. Mark anything needing input from others and assign an owner before the evening call.

What should you do before the evening call?

Send the deck early enough for attendees to glance at it, with a one-line note on what to focus on. Decide who presents which slides.

What if the colleague cannot make the afternoon slot?

Send the deck with specific questions and ask for written comments by a set time. A short asynchronous review is better than none, and it keeps the evening call from becoming the first review.

What should you do after the evening call?

Send a short summary of decisions and actions to everyone who attended, with owners and dates. Start the next morning's check-in from that list.

Can this routine work every day?

Yes, especially for daily review cycles. Keep it light, and it turns chaotic proposal work into a predictable day.

Keep reading

• When a Colleague Pushes All the Work Offshore
• Covering a Colleague's Work and Handing It Back
• Build a Personal Repository to Finish Work Faster

Updated September 2026: in 2019 I was assigned a two-week opportunity with a delivery contact I had repeatedly objected to working with, who expected offshore to do everything. I have rewritten it into advice on working with a colleague who pushes all the work onto you.

The opportunity ran for over two weeks, and I had to work with a delivery contact I found nagging and who expected the offshore team to do everything. I had raised issues about working with him and had sometimes cut off his suggestions. This time, there was no alternative.

Why do some colleagues push all the work offshore?

Sometimes because of their own workload, sometimes because roles were never defined, and sometimes out of habit. Offshore teams are often seen as the doing team, and without clear boundaries the split drifts.

How do you set a fair division of work?

• Agree roles at kickoff: who owns the solution, estimates, client contact and review.
• Write the split into the plan and share it with your manager.
• Ask for inputs by date: "Please send the delivery approach by Wednesday."

Is cutting off suggestions a good strategy?

It rarely works well. It creates friction and can be escalated as uncooperative. Better to acknowledge suggestions and test them against the client's needs: "Does this address requirement 5?" Irrelevant ideas fall away without a fight.

What if the colleague keeps nagging?

Move to scheduled updates: a short status at fixed times answers most follow-ups before they are asked. Keep communication in writing, so requests and replies are on record.

When should you escalate?

When the agreed split is ignored and the workload becomes unsustainable. Bring the plan, the missed inputs and the hours spent to your manager.

What if you raised objections before and were overruled?

Accept the decision for this opportunity and make it work, but keep a factual record. If the same problems recur, your earlier concerns and the new evidence together make a stronger case for different pairings in future.

How do you get through two weeks?

Focus on the deliverable, not the person. Clear roles and written updates make a difficult colleague manageable for a fixed period.

Keep reading

• What Made a Smooth Review With an Offshore Team
• Covering a Colleague's Work and Handing It Back
• How to Ask Your Manager to Leave a Project

Updated September 2026: in 2019, after a week with no work following a long vacation, my manager messaged me just as I was about to leave for the day with a new opportunity. I have rewritten it into advice on handling end-of-day assignments.

After a week without work, I wanted something to do. Monday brought nothing again, and I passed the time watching videos with my manager sitting beside me. As I was about to leave, he pinged me on the office messenger with a new opportunity. The mood changed instantly.

Why does work arrive at the end of the day?

Because that is when requests reach managers after their own meetings, or when onsite teams in other time zones start their day. It is rarely aimed at you personally. Knowing that makes it easier to respond calmly.

Should you start work the same evening?

Only if the deadline requires it. For most new assignments, a short acknowledgement and a plan for the next morning is enough: "Thanks, I will read the brief tonight and set up a call with the delivery team tomorrow at 10."

What should you do before logging off?

• Read the email or brief once, to understand the deadline.
• Note questions to ask the next morning.
• Reply with your plan, so your manager knows it is in hand.

How do you avoid idle weeks before a rush?

Tell your manager when you are free, early and in writing. Idle time followed by a late rush is common when capacity is invisible. A short "I'm available for new work" message puts you in line for opportunities earlier.

Is watching videos at your desk a problem?

When there is genuinely no work, a short break is fine. Doing it for days next to your manager sends a message you probably do not intend. Using idle time for learning or preparing material looks better and feels better.

How do you start the next day well?

Set up the kickoff call early, confirm scope in writing and share a simple plan. A calm, organised start turns a late assignment into a normal one.

Keep reading

• No Feedback on Your Draft? How to Get a Response
• How to Ask Your Manager to Leave a Project
• Covering a Colleague's Work and Handing It Back