Ask your manager for support but have a plan to manage your time....

If you have a good relationship with your manager, I recommend informing him or her about what you are trying to do. Your manager can help you by assigning new projects that will give you the experience that you’re wanting or by prioritize your assignments to help you make time to volunteer. Companies that have established volunteer programs will probably be more accommodating than those that don’t (check your Employee Handbook). Just be sure to give your boss confidence that that your new responsibilities won’t interfere with getting the work done for your company.

Regardless of whether or not you have support from your manager, there are things that you can do to take control of your time. In fact, most of the tips below are good time management practices that everyone should follow to be more successful in their career and life.

1. If your workload is already too high and too demanding ask your manager to rebalance the load. Doing so will ensure your manager knows what you do and the value you contribute to the organization. It's the right way to do a little self promotion!

2. Say no to new projects or assignments, especially those that go beyond your job description or that don't give you the opportunity to grow. It's good to be busy but it's better to be busy with things that make a difference to the organization and you.

3. Look for opportunities to delegate or off-load some of your work. A younger colleague might benefit from the experience of taking on additional work to build his or her skills. Training and mentoring others is a good way to demonstrate your leadership skills to management and increase your value to the organization.

4. Work out a schedule to figure out how much time you can reasonably allocate to something new without jeopardizing your “day job”. The structure will help you adapt and succeed.