Q. Since I started working on increasing my visibility, my work and I are better known – which is great. However, I keep getting given more work to do! My boss has asked me to take on another big piece of work that isn’t even in my remit; I’ve been asked to speak at two conferences, and two organizations have asked me to join their steering groups. That’s apart from the extra phone calls, emails and meeting invitations. What’s going on, and what can I do??
A. When you’re known to be capable, there is a tendency for your boss and others to see you as a safe pair of hands, the expert, or the go-to person who can make things happen. But if everyone is coming to you with more work and more responsibility, you can end up being pulled in so many different directions that you can’t get your own work done, or do the things that feed your passion. Or you simply get overwhelmed and burn out by trying to do too much.
Ask yourself some basic questions. How does a new opportunity/piece of work align with my career goals? Is this an opportunity to grow in a direction that is important and of interest to me? Do I have time for it?
If not – this is an opportunity to say no (or practice saying no). While it can be tempting to bask in the glow of being the go-to person – if a request doesn’t meet your criteria (including you not having any more time), this is also is an opportunity for you to pause, reflect, and negotiate as part of setting boundaries so that you manage your time, energy and expectations. One question that clients and I find useful is this: If I say yes to this, what can I say no to? You can even use this question as part of your negotiation with your boss.
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