Short Answer 
To effectively respond to a coworker’s request for help, first assess your availability by reviewing your tasks and prioritizing them based on urgency. Then, choose a considerate response that expresses your willingness to help after completing your current responsibilities, while avoiding immediate disruption to your workflow.
Step 1: Assess Your Availability
Before responding to a coworker’s request for help, it’s important to consider your current workload. This involves evaluating your tasks and deadlines to determine if you have the capacity to assist. Consider the following points:
- Review your ongoing projects and commitments.
- Identify which tasks are time-sensitive and require immediate attention.
- Set priorities based on urgency and importance of your workload.
Step 2: Choose a Considerate Response
When formulating your response, aim for a message that balances support for your coworker with a boundary regarding your own tasks. A good option could be to express your willingness to help after completing your current responsibilities. Consider these phrases:
- “I’ll help you as soon as I finish my current tasks.”
- “Can we address this after I meet my deadlines?”
- “I value your request, but I have to prioritize my work right now.”
Step 3: Avoid Immediate Disruption
It is crucial to avoid responses that demand immediate attention and disrupt your workflow. Jumping into helping your coworker right away can lead to unfinished tasks and missed deadlines. Responses that convey this include:
- “Stop what you’re doing and help him.”
- “I have too much work to do and can’t assist right now.”
- “Ask someone else to assist you if I’m unavailable.”