Overwhelmed at work – Photo credit: http://i.huffpost.com

It’s January, and for most of us at work, it’s just crazy! Year-end deadlines, 10K filings, audit committees, yearly reports, everything is due yesterday. Work is coming at you from every corner, management is running around like a chicken without head (or much of anything else), the vending machines are back in business (hello failed New Year resolutions), and the mood is kicking (literally). If you’re overwhelmed at work, and chances are you may be more than a few times a year, do you speak up and say so, or ask for help (or more chocolate)? Or do you just keep your head down and plow through mountains of work without a word, for the sake of a paycheck?

Being overwhelmed at work has become commonplace. While there are tons of tips and tricks, from time management to living in the moment, to deal with the barrage of to-do’s our jobs have become, one thing many of us fail to do in those instances is simply to speak up! I’ve found myself in many instances when I was downright miserable, with too much on my plate, smiling and faking the funk, acting like I “got this”. Truth is, all I had was a great chance at providing sub-par work in a sub-par state of mind at a sub-par time, which turned out to be exactly what happened.

My $0.05: Speak up! At the risk of sounding like a normal human being (sorry, Superwoman-wannabe), say it like it is. It’s not an admission of guilt, rather it’s a courageous self-assessment. You’re not helping anyone trying to kill yourself, and producing sucky work as a result. Ask if some of your work can be re-distributed, or if the deadline can be pushed to allow for it to be done well. Always emphasize the importance of work quality over quantity! You, and your entire management team, will be glad when the report comes out stellar (and you come out sane!).

Do you speak up when overwhelmed at work?

The Corporate Sis.