The request is reasonable. So were the seven before it. You are not debating whether you can do this one more thing. You are deciding what will be displaced if you say yes.
Many accomplished women have learned to soften a boundary until it no longer functions. They provide a long explanation, offer three alternatives, and promise to make an exception next time. The result sounds gracious but leaves the calendar unchanged.
A clear boundary names what is available without prosecuting the request. “I can review this on Thursday.” “I am not taking on another committee this quarter.” “That decision belongs with your team.” These sentences do not require a defense of your worth or a detailed account of your private life.
The discomfort after saying no is not proof that the boundary was wrong. It may mean people were accustomed to access you can no longer responsibly provide. Let the first quiet pause stand. You do not have to fill it by negotiating against yourself.
Pick a boundary that protects something specific: uninterrupted clinical judgment, a strategic project, dinner with your family, or an hour in which no one needs you. Put it into ordinary language before the next request arrives. Protecting what matters is a professional decision, not an apology.
If a particular boundary feels difficult to hold, book a Private Clarity Call with Lori to talk about what you need it to protect.