Feeling Overwhelmed at Work: How Do You Handle Extra Tasks Without Support?

Hi all, I am a 22-year-old woman. I have completed one year in my company. My boss is an Operations Manager. He has assigned me certain tasks, in addition to my daily responsibilities. There is an Assistant Manager in my company who is also a woman. She wants to implement some technical changes and has requested me to assist. However, I am already occupied with my own tasks.

She approached me verbally to inquire whether her requests were feasible. I responded, "It is possible; however, this is a very complex and significant change. Please discuss this with my boss."

She proceeded to ask me about the details of the work, the time required, and the deadline. How could I provide accurate information when I have not tackled such a project before? While I could conceptualize the logic, implementing it across 620 applications presents a major challenge. My boss did not intervene in the conversation. I also mentioned to her that I have tasks assigned by my boss along with my daily workload. Her response was, "Your boss has not shown output in the last few months. What will..."

She replied, "Your boss has not shown any output in the last few months, so what will he show now?" I told her that making any change is always a big challenge because you need to analyze 620 applications to understand their matrix. She then said, "You and I can do it together."

Now, tell me, even one of our technical heads never attempted to bring this change because 4-5 volunteers are required. So the summary is:

1. She dealt with me before dealing with my boss because she knows that she can control me (as I don't have the authority to say NO).
2. She is asking me for deadlines for work that I have never done, making it difficult to estimate the time required.
3. She is disrupting my planned schedules.
4. If she can approach me, why can't she approach other people in the company to volunteer for this work for the next 15 days only, so the burden on each will be reduced?
5. Why can't she ask one of the technical heads about the complexity involved in this project?
6. She is just sitting next to me, eating my head, and frustrating me to try and get the output, despite the fact that I also have other daily work to do.

I want to complain about this but need suggestions to know if my concerns are legal or not. Please, can someone help me? I really need help. I am all alone.

Addressing Internal Job Responsibility Issues

This is an internal matter within your company regarding job responsibilities. No legal remedy is available. You mentioned that she is not your boss, so how can she direct you to take on additional responsibilities? What is your reporting matrix? Discuss this with your immediate manager and explain your situation. If your immediate manager is unresponsive, escalate the issue to the next level.

Regards,
Pon

Dear Kiran,

Don't be so upset. As you gain experience with age, you will understand that these are pressure tactics used by many employees in organizations to avoid direct responsibility. From your email, it is clear that there are two hierarchies: operational and functional. You did not mention who your reporting boss is. Remember, your job, as per your appointment, should be your first priority. Take some time to note down the issues (diplomatically) and sit with your reporting boss. Deal with this matter firmly without being stressed or harassed in any way. Remember, people are passively watching your activities. Never lose your temper. I hope you can find your own way to solve this matter.

Regards,
Saswat

Saswat is absolutely right that these are nothing but pressure tactics. You also come across as a dedicated employee of your company, as you perform additional tasks for your boss, in addition to your regular duties.

However, from what I understand, you seem to have adopted a negative mindset. I would like to provide feedback on your summary point by point:

1. Nevertheless, she is senior.

2. Convey the same point to her directly.

3. Avoid drafting your plans like the Indian Constitution, which may be overly rigid and complex. In today's competitive world, it is essential to make your plans and schedules as flexible and dynamic as possible to meet the demands of the moment.

4 & 5. If you can think and write elaborately here, why can't you suggest all these ideas to her as well? Do not get frustrated. Stay composed and confident. Do not miss the chance to take the initiative. This way, you will receive more recognition for your work and gain valuable experience for the future.

6. She may be pressuring you, as you mentioned, because she needs the work done. Since she has already offered to collaborate with you, this is an excellent opportunity to assert yourself with your senior. You can request her assistance with some initial tasks. By the time she finishes those tasks, you can complete yours and then assign her new ones.

My final advice to you is, 'Whatever you do, do it smartly, positively, and correctly.'

Regards,
RR.

Dear Kiran,

Instead of verbal negotiations or internalizing your frustration, it is better to put your concerns in writing. Submit a proposal outlining the Assistant Manager's requests and your own assessment of the job, along with the workload of your current responsibilities, to your boss. Ask for formal advice from your boss. This approach would serve the purpose of both your complaint against the intruding Assistant Manager and the presentation of the real picture regarding the additional job versus your own job. It would also cover any delays caused in accomplishing such tasks.

Regards,

Creating a Work Plan

First of all, make a plan on how to complete your work. If you need some assistance, then inform your senior who assigned you this task. Work accurately but at a slower pace. This will help you stay stress-free. Simple, isn't it?

Dear Kiran0801, don't worry. I think you have just joined this corporate world and are not comfortable with the politics. Take your work on a priority basis. First, do the task assigned by your manager, and then do the other pending tasks given by other functional managers.

Dear, have the guts to say NO rather than making false commitments. Be confident and positive; this is just the beginning of your career, so don't get nervous.

Thank you.

Dear Kiran,

It's a part of professional life. Always remember one MANTRA: "PROFESSIONALS SHOULD NOT REACT." Follow the proper communication chain and ask her to do the same politely. Just as an example, I always CC my reporting manager in each mail, and if someone mentions it verbally, I reply with a request, "I am proceeding with your request parallelly; please email me with CC to XYZ." This will always help me complete my tasks on time and is also the shortest way to prioritize your tasks.

As suggested by Poonam, be confident and positive, dear :) Being a part of the Admin/HR profession, we should never get nervous.

Regards,
Amruta

Talk to your boss (manager) and the lady together. Fix a meeting with them and put the ball in their court to decide the priority of the tasks and come back to you with a plan. Update me if it works.

Thanks,
Mnai.

There is an old saying: "Fighting with the boss is like fighting with pigs; you will get dirty and the pig will enjoy it." Understand who has the upper hand and build the relationship. Don't irritate the other; be careful. When she asks for a deadline, don't set a very strict deadline but tell her when you are likely to finish the work. Never overcommit to impress. Always undercommit and overdeliver. If you think you can finish in 3 hours, say 4 hours. Remember, learning is not a very enjoyable process until you master it.

Wishing you the best.

Regards,
Lloyd.

Dear, do not worry about such matters. Just clarify with HR who your reporting authority is and then speak candidly with them. If he/she is also not supportive, escalate the issue to upper management. I understand these situations happen, but remain composed and handle the matter wisely. Try to establish a good rapport with the person assigning you tasks. First, determine if the task aligns with your job profile. If it does, seek assistance to complete it. If not, you can straightforwardly refuse. Be courageous; these situations occur as some individuals may be envious by nature.

Dear Kiran,

Others have given you sound advice. So, let me ask you a question to clarify the structure: Does the Assistant Manager report to your boss, the Operational Manager?

My friend worked in a place where the situation was similar. As suggested by some, he wrote a memo to the Assistant Manager (who was from another section) explaining the situation and put CC to his Operations Manager (OM). He did not even send it to the OM. The mere CC note deterred the Assistant Manager from raising that topic again.

However, I would advise you to give unofficial suggestions and help her if you have any spare time.

Have a nice day.

Regards,
Simhan

My suggestion: Be very polite and humble to make that Assistant Manager realize that you are not answerable to her, and if she needs support from you, she should take prior permission from your immediate boss. This will make your immediate supervisor aware that you are supporting others, and this might impact your productivity/timelines. If you don't respond, people will take you for granted. So, it's your choice...

Best regards,
Rakesh

Kiran0801 wrote:
...continued....

She replied, "Your boss has not shown any output in the last few months, so what will he show now?" I told her that making any change is always a big challenge because you need to analyze 620 applications to understand their matrix. She then said, "You and I can do it together." Now, tell me, even one of our technical heads never attempted to bring this change because 4-5 volunteers are required. So the summary is:
1. She dealt with me before dealing with my boss because she knows that she can control me (as I don't have the authority to say NO).
2. She is asking me for deadlines for work I have never done, so it is difficult to estimate how much time it will take.
3. She is disrupting my planned schedules.
4. If she can approach me, why can't she approach other people in the company to volunteer for this work for the next 15 days only, so the burden on each will be reduced?
5. Why can't she ask one of the technical heads about the complexity involved in this project?
6. She is just sitting next to me, eating my head, and frustrating me to try to get the output, despite the fact that I also have other daily tasks to complete. I want to complain about this, but I need suggestions to know if my concerns are valid or not. Please, someone, help me. I really need help. I am all alone.

Dear Amruta, I may have to differ with your opinion on "professionals should not react," as it is contradictory to the rest of your own advice. In other words, your advice suggests that a professional should be a dummy head and puppet, behaving like a meek slave and always bearing injustice without speaking a word against it. A professional becoming a puppet can never be expected to do justice to his/her subordinates, whom he/she leads. However, I admire your other advice besides the aforesaid advice.

In my view, if someone remains passive like that and does not respond to situations with the right reaction at the right time, he/she cannot be said to be a professional. In that case, I wonder what difference remains between a knowledgeable professional and a dummy non-professional. That way, he/she would just be encouraging some unethical and irrational boss to become autocratic and tyrannical with one and all if not responded to appropriately.

I am of the view that a professional must be active and react to situations that are non-conforming to the ethical and rational behaviors of the bosses, but in a humble and rational manner, just to make him/her aware that he/she is crossing the borderline of his/her authority.

Dear Kiran, Just be firm in the duties assigned to you and refuse to take on any additional responsibilities that are not within your scope. Ignore any unnecessary demands. Approach your boss and honestly communicate that you are capable of handling tasks within your expertise and not beyond that.

Regards, Joel Johnston
Placement Officer

Thank you all for the comments. I really need to learn a lot from experienced people. Actually, one twist happened suddenly. The day I posted my problem on this page, the very next day my boss left for a 10-day leave. I had forgotten about this since he had informed me a long time back. He did not come the next day; that's when I realized. So, I got scared because now I don't even have my immediate boss to protect me.

I went to the person who is senior (designation-wise) to my boss and the Assistant Manager and told him about the situation, starting with the sentence "I have an issue to raise," specifically highlighting that "she (A.M.) is not understanding my problems and that she is not listening to me. I have my daily tasks to deal with first, and later I can move on to extra work." I even suggested a solution: give me 4 volunteers just for 10 days, with each contributing 1 hour only for this work. He told me to prepare a document for your requirement. I prepared and submitted it. This was the last scene. After that, neither the A.M. spoke with me nor did I speak to her. Even the head has not yet responded to my requirement.

But anything can happen anytime, I know, because nobody has had the guts to speak against the A.M. I have taken a great risk.

Reasons for Frustration at Work

Now, along with this, there are many reasons I have become sick of the office:

I am doing the work of two people alone as part of my daily tasks. My scope of work is not defined. I am managing client requirements, technical work, and clerical work with an unsatisfactory salary. Sometimes, I miss out on something, and the seniors comment, "This was common sense work." Seriously, I am getting demotivated day by day. In fact, such mistakes could have been made by any other person because when you deal with technicality, you become so immersed that you can't see anything else.

At home, when I express that I want to resign, my mom says, "First, search for another job and then quit this one." However, the notice period is three months. Now, which company will be willing to wait for me to complete the three months here and then join them? She has one thing stuck in her mind that during the interview at another company, the HR will exploit this condition that I need a job because I won't have one then.

I am frustrated. Please suggest something for me.

Dear Kiran, Rome was not built in a night. First, finish your assigned work (by your boss), then find time to do AM's work. For that, you should not overwork; a person's capacity is a maximum of 10 hours. Build up the confidence that you will be able to finish your tasks over a period of time. Never assume that you are doing all the work; it is the almighty who is the spirit behind each movement. Good luck.