How to Politely Decline Those Ridiculous Requests Coworkers Feel Entitled to Ask of You

I haven’t worked with a human coworker since 2020. Since then, the only employees I share office space with are my two furballs. But I can still vividly recall the social oddities of workplace relationships. They are inevitable: You spend eight hours a day, five days a week, with the same people for years on end, and yet most of them aren’t friends. They’re not people you have over for dinner, or invite to your birthday party. This close-yet-not-closeness has an interesting effect. Chris from accounting may feel like he’s pally with you, because you share a cubicle space. So sometimes, coworkers feel entitled to ask you for favors that you just don’t want to do. Because again, you’re not really friends. What’s the best way to diffuse these tense situations while still not compromising on your societal morals? Here’s my ultimate guide on how to deal with those awkward coworker requests. <h1>When someone asks to borrow a book</h1> Fellow work-mates have no compunctions about returning books late, covered in chocolatey fingerprints, or not at all. But that doesn’t stop Jenny from wanting to borrow the latest Colleen Hoover from you instead of buying her own. Again. Don’t fret — but don’t give her a book just yet. Turn the tables on her. Explain you’ve recently had to start a subscription service to help you manage the stress of shuttling, inventorying, and lending the books. Tell her she can sign up via an online form that only requires a five-paragraph essay on why she wants the book, including references and citations in MLA format. <a href="https://medium.com/jane-austens-wastebasket/how-to-politely-decline-those-ridiculous-requests-coworkers-feel-entitled-to-ask-of-you-71bd7bb15a8f">Visit Now</a>