When and How to Say I Just Cant Do It!

We naturally hesitate to tell our boss when we can't do something or are feeling overwhelmed in our job. Bosses don't want to hear that, right? Well, it depends.

In many situations, your boss is so busy that he/she doesn't keep track of how much work you're doing. When your boss gives you a new project, he's not thinking about all the other projects you're already working on.

And here's the kicker -- unless you speak up and tell your boss that you can't handle the workload he's giving you, he'll assume everything is fine.

This can have bad consequences for you AND your boss. You know what will happen. Eventually things will start falling through the cracks or you'll rush through tasks and start making mistakes.

You can only do so much in a day, and deadlines will be missed. While you're stressing out, work that your boss needs you to do is NOT being done.

When this happens, your boss will not appreciate your excuse: "But I had too much to do, I was overloaded with work!" Saying that AFTER the fact will be much worse than telling your boss up front -- before mistakes occur or deadlines are missed -- that you're having trouble with your workload.

It is your responsibility to tell your boss when you are overwhelmed, and there's nothing wrong with doing this.

Of course, you don't want to tell your boss, "I can't do that; I'm too busy." But you can say, "I'll be happy to take that on, but I need your help with prioritizing the other projects you've already given me. Which jobs can I put on hold or delegate to someone else while I work on this new one?"

That's way better than keeping your mouth shut, trying to do too much, and failing miserably.

Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


My Career is in the Doldrums - Do I Need a Coach or a Therapist?

Is Monday the worst day of your week? Can you... Read More

CV Writing ? How to Write a CV

A winning CV has 2 objectives: To illustrate... Read More

Success at Work : People Skills : Networking

Getting along with your co-workers is critical to yourhappiness and... Read More

Looking for a Qualified Medical Billing Specialist

Families, mothers, employers, and medical practices all interact in one... Read More

Telephone Job Interview Preparation Tips

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW BACKGROUNDTelephone interviews are quite common in today's job... Read More

The 10 Biggest Career Change Mistakes - And How to Avoid Them

Career change is no walk in the park.If it was... Read More

How To Receive Payment as a Freelance Translator?

A problem most freelance translators are facing with is how... Read More

Ten Great Careers That Don?t Require A Four Year Degree

One of the great myths associated with the "American Dream"... Read More

Opportunities in Automotive Services Industries - How To Cash In

I believe it would be safe to say that the... Read More

Planning Your Successful Career: 15 Ideas

"Doing a good job is one of the most important... Read More

One Cover Letter Secret You Cant Afford To Miss

Suppose you were the hiring manager, your desk piled high... Read More

Chicken Soup for Job Seekers

Do you want to change your job but don't know... Read More

So you want to work at home

There are several ways to work from home. Some of... Read More

Job Search Tip for College Students

Today everyone is looking for that special job that will... Read More

How to Turn a Job Search into a Career Find

The only way to find a new career is to... Read More

Match, Meet, and Mesmerize at a Job Fair

Are you considering another trip through the career maze? Attending... Read More

Is Your Resume Doing ITS Job?

Is it opening doors to new opportunities? Does it compel... Read More

Your Resume Format - What Is The First Thing You Need To Do?

The first thing you need to do before you write... Read More

Federal Job Search Strategies: 7 Tips to Help You Succeed

Despite constant calls by politicians and policy makers to reign... Read More

Mid-Life Crisis: Its Not Just for Men Anymore!

A recent story in Career Journal begins:"The "midlife crisis" has... Read More

Experience Hear-See-Do

Research indicates that we retain only 10% of what we... Read More

What You Should Never Put on Your Resume

Liars Get Caught! What NOT to Put on Your Resume"Everybody... Read More

Ive Got the Big Bad B Word on My Job!

That "B" word---B O R E D O M.How did... Read More

Telecommuting Resumes

Your resume needs to outline your skills and experience, as... Read More

Unlimit Your Life!

Do you have a tendency to think in absolutes?Is everything... Read More

Virtual Heroes: The Growth of the Virtual Assistant

Building and expanding a business is a difficult task, when... Read More

Everyone Should Have a RED BALL in the Job Search

May I explain what about what a red ball means... Read More

Finding Success In Todays Job Market

This year we are experiencing the most dynamic and rapidly... Read More

Preparing For An Interview

When preparing for an interview, you need to know your... Read More

Dissatisfied with Your Job? Take Your Power Back!

Apparently, there are all sorts of reasons to be dissatisfied... Read More

Relocation Myths and Stereotypes

You've probably been taught not to stereotype people based on... Read More

Fact or Opinion?

"You ain't going nowhere, son. You ought to go back... Read More

Signs of a Healthy Work Environment

There's no denying that a healthy work environment is a... Read More