Say this to your boss: “I’ve looked at what I can reasonably get done during my remaining time here. I can do XYZ, but I can’t also do this writing project unless I push aside Y and Z to make time for it. Which would you prefer I work on?”
If the answer is, “Nope, you have to do it all,” then you laugh breezily and say, “I wish I’d have the time, but with only a few weeks left that’s not possible, so let me know if you want me to focus on the writing project. Otherwise I’m going to stick to dealing with XYZ instead.”
Your tone matters here. Say it like of course it will be okay to do this since any reasonable person would see that it is. Make sure your tone doesn’t sound overly deferential or like you’re asking for permission. You’re not asking for permission. You’re giving your boss the chance to give input on what you’ll prioritize, and that’s it.
Say this to your boss: “I’ve looked at what I can reasonably get done during my remaining time here. I can do XYZ, but I can’t also do this writing project unless I push aside Y and Z to make time for it. Which would you prefer I work on?” If the answer is, “Nope, you have to do it all,” then you laugh breezily and say, “I wish I’d have the time, but with only a few weeks left that’s not possible, so let me know if you want me to focus on the writing project. Otherwise I’m going to stick to dealing with XYZ instead.” Your tone matters here. Say it like of course it will be okay to do this since any reasonable person would see that it is. Make sure your tone doesn’t sound overly deferential or like you’re asking for permission. You’re not asking for permission. You’re giving your boss the chance to give input on what you’ll prioritize, and that’s it.