They say it’s urgent, and another task lands on me.

Before I’ve even finished my own work, my coworker’s tasks keep getting handed to me.

Scenes

Before I’ve even finished my work — After lunch, a coworker handed me an urgent task in the hallway. My own work was still waiting, but now this was mine too.
They lead with “It’s urgent.” — When requests like this keep coming, it gets hard to tell where my work ends. Sometimes I think of how to fit it into my schedule before I think of how to say no.
When no one’s named as the owner — When work keeps getting passed along, check roles and deadlines before focusing on who asked. If no one’s assigned, urgent tasks can keep piling up on one person.
Next time, check the scope — Tonight, jot down your tasks and deadlines. Next time someone asks, you can say, “When is this due, and which of my other tasks should I handle alongside it?”
Deciding together — One question may not divide up the work right away. Still, once you talk through who’ll handle what and when it’s due, you can figure out the next step together.