The alarm clock rings at an ungodly hour because you need to get to work much earlier than your regular time. It was a short sleep as you worked late last night too! Waiting for you in your office, you’ve got piles of work (both physical and electronic), deadlines, assignments, and projects that you feel you’ll never get caught up on.
Each time your manager approaches, you brace yourself for the next task they might assign. Despite wanting to shout, “Enough already!” you hesitate because you don’t want to appear lazy or selfish or indicate you can’t do the job. But you can’t keep up without losing your sanity. It isn’t about not being efficient or working longer hours. You simply need a more manageable workload.
Expecting our manager to recognize we are overworked isn’t realistic (even if you are aware of their workload). Unless you say something, they have no idea what your workload looks like. They likely don’t notice the extra hours you work or your high-stress level! They’re not monitoring your every move or keeping track of all your assignments. If your workload is unmanageable, it’s up to you to communicate that.
But you want to tell them without looking like you can’t cope (although you can’t) or that you are being negative.
1: Get a Second Opinion
The first thing we need to do is get a second opinion about your workload or timelines. When the world feels like it is closing in, it is easy to get overwhelmed and feel like it isn’t your fault.
We need a trusted colleague, family member, or friend to give you the honest feedback you need. Ask them if the timelines or work volume you are being given are realistic. Ask them how they see you managing your time and if there is room for you to do things differently.
They may confirm that you are indeed overworked and that something needs to be done. They may indicate that they see you unfocused and jumping from task to task without attention to detail. Either way, you need someone to confirm your perspective or offer suggestions to improve your efficiency.
2: Book an Appointment
If you’ve tried to manage your workload but still find yourself overwhelmed, it’s time to talk to your manager. Schedule a meeting to catch up and prepare a list of your assignments. Focus on significant tasks rather than daily routines like checking emails or responding to messages.
Your manager deserves a heads-up that you want to speak to them about your workload. If you don’t make an appointment, you’re ambushing them, and when backed into a corner, most people lash out.
During the meeting, be honest and seek guidance. Ask your manager to help you prioritize or clarify tasks and expectations. Which deadlines are the most critical? Are there projects that can be delayed? This discussion can help you create a more manageable plan and feel more confident about your workload.
As I mentioned above, it is possible that your workload isn’t reasonable, and having this discussion with your manager will reveal that some things need to change. Perhaps they’ve taken on more responsibilities and just assumed you had the bandwidth to do so, too. They won’t know you are over your limit until you tell them.
But book an appointment so they can come prepared to discuss this without being defensive.
3: Show Your Proof (Create a Time Log)
In the same meeting, review how much time you spend on routine tasks. Naturally, you will have completed a time log to show where your time is going. Show routine things like how many emails you are dealing with daily, how much time you spend in meetings, how much time you spend on scheduling, how much time you spend writing reports, etc. Then, list the extra tasks you’ve been assigned and indicate how much time is being spent on those.
You want at least a week of data. You need to indicate where the unexpected tasks are coming from and how much time is spent on them. Indicate the extra hours you are working and when you are working them (i.e. 6am before you leave for the office).
While in your meeting, share your data. If you have it created in advance, give it to them before your scheduled meeting so they can decide which tasks should be removed from your responsibility or what you are falsely prioritizing. They may have suggestions for you to save time. They may be surprised to find that some tasks are taking far more time than they expected and advise you to change what you are doing or potentially assign it to someone else. Giving them the information in advance allows them to come to the discussion prepared with solutions.
Feeling overworked is a common experience that sometimes disappears after a hectic period. When it seems the feeling isn’t going away, it is affecting your personal life and stress levels, and when you find you are spending far too much time working extra hours, it is time to look at why you are feeling overwhelmed.
Expecting others to see your workload is unreasonable. Be willing to document, consult, and discuss what is reasonable and what isn’t. While it won’t be fun, it is much better than keeping yourself in a constant state of overwhelm.
This article was written by Rhonda and not by AI.
