Reading and All That Jazz 5th Edition by Rita McCarthy ,Peter Mather

Exercise 1

Communicate!
Learning to say no--whether to extra work or extra play--is an important part of effective time management. If you don't have enough time for something that your friends are pressuring you to do, you need to use assertive communication to maintain control of your own time. Begin by knowing your priorities and believing in your right to decide what you will do. Remain calm in the face of pressure and don't feel guilty about saying no. For example: "I'd like to go to the club with you, but I have to get started on my English paper. I have only this week to work on it, and it's important to me. I'm sorry you don't have anyone else to go with right now--I could go on Friday if you're available then." When you feel your environment is controlling you instead of the other way around, take charge!
(p. 47)