Someone at the office might ask for you help accomplishing a task for a variety of reasons: it is important to be seen as a team player, without being deemed a pushover that will take on any miscellaneous task.  The article, “That’s Your Job! When You’re Asked to do Someone Else’s Work,” by Allison Stadd, outlines a three-step process to handle these situations.  Here it is…
1. Take time to asses the request and possible pros/cons if could have to you such as building a relationship with your co-workers, if it would interfere with your responsibilities, etc…
2. If you decide it’s not something you should take on, saying no is OK, but explain your decision to prioritize your own work.  If it is, ask for a deadline and offer up any spare time you might have to help.
3. Stay strong to your decision
It’s always good when you can help out others, as long as it doesn’t put you in a situation where you won’t meet your expectations.  Visit the articles for specific examples and  situations to use as a guide.