Unfortunately due to other matters I don’t have the bandwidth today.
Let’s schedule a follow-up to discuss for a later date so I can give this the focus it warrants.
This is the one. Polite and professional, and also acknowledges the importance of the other person’s viewpoint.
The coffee hasn’t kicked in yet.
Bonus round: you don’t drink coffee.
What’s the priority on this? I’ve been a little scattered today.
Bear with me, I’ve been running around all day, and I need to catch up and refocus.
I like the first sentence as a standalone reply.
“Sorry, I haven’t had my coffee yet.”
It’s 4 PM, Ron.
“Sorry, I haven’t had my
coffeecocaine yet.”
“Just back from annual leave and trying to get upto speed” or “just had the closing meeting on an old project. Once I’m fully read in on this I will be able to take it on”
I’m sorry. My brain is slow today and this needs to be done while I am fresh. We can go over it tomorrow.
I am too burnt out today.
I can’t focus on that right now.
I am not functional enough for that.
I don’t even make shit up and I am done with corpo speak. If they can’t accept that, then they can get over it. We can discuss this like humans. If I can get you started, great, but if you want this done right, you will wait.
All of those make the person seem incapable or otherwise unable to fulfill their daily activities/roles. I dunno I think this wouldn’t be great to say unless maybe you were legitimately sick. There are times you just gotta suck it up and get er done.
Not when you are a developer trying to write code for a critical part of the system. Sucking it up isn’t going to make it magically happen and it will be a mess.
Worked for me for the last 20 years shrug
Sorry, I have exceeded my bandwidth for the day.
“It’s been a long day.”
I find the blank, abyssal stare of one desperately trying to piece reality back together long enough to hold conversation, sends a pretty clear message
Then there’s me. Who’s not smart AND my brain is fried. AMA
“My apologies, I seem to have contracted an acute case of skibidi brainrot.”
I can assure you of my intellectual capacity but there is a severe incompatibility with cognitive functions on this day.
At present time.
I work smarter not harder
Think no. Brain not good.
Sorry but my burnout quotient is too damn high today. Leave it with me and I’ll ponder it while I grab an emergency tea.