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Taking on the extra baggage of extra work

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  6. Taking on the extra baggage of extra work

published March 19, 2007

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( 12 votes, average: 4.8 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.
<<As with most things in life, the answer is not so straightforward. As a reader of Lona O'Connor, author of Top Ten Dumb Career Mistakes…And How to Avoid Them, put it, "Some employees take a defensive position when asked to do some extra work. This has a negative effect for the participants to the controversy and also for the others on the team. It's not any better if the employee acquiesces to the request unwillingly and then seethes about it. In this scenario, the employee will frequently make negative comments to coworkers about the supervisor, and this negatively impacts morale."

Indeed, there are several shades of gray to think about when we consider taking on extra assignments, as our decisions have the potential to impact not only our own jobs but also the professional environment of our coworkers. Since each job, place of employment, and situation is different, the purpose of the following is to offer suggestions and advice to help guide you to make the best decisions possible when facing these all-too-familiar scenarios.


Take a detailed inventory of your current workload or the areas of responsibility that you oversee. On a separate sheet of paper, write down the date the task was assigned and evaluate how long it will take to complete by recording key deadline information associated with the case or project.

Then, if you haven't already done so, prioritize your current load of tasks by due date. If any of your tasks is an ongoing duty (e.g., managing the court calendar), make sure you jot down this information, too. The more specific your notes the better. You will want to have something that concretely and accurately reflects your workload and schedule.

Before you can decide whether you are willing and able to undertake the new task, you need to be sure you have the necessary amount of time and skills to perform it successfully. You will need to ask yourself a series of questions: What is the new assignment? Do I know how to successfully perform it? Are the duties of the activity within the scope of the ordinary duties of my job? How long will it take to complete, and when is it due?

Next, incorporate the new duty into your existing to-do list. How does it change your job? What does your day, week, month, or year look like now? Can you handle it? While almost everyone understands that there are times of emergency when each member of the team has to pitch in to get through a difficult crunch, if everyone else is walking out the door at 5:00 but you have to stay until 8:00 in order to complete the new assignment, something is wrong.

Also, you will need to reasonably determine the amount of time it will take to complete the task in order to evaluate whether performing it will take away from your core duties and primary responsibilities. Are you the only person in your department or on your team who is able to do it? Are you able to delegate anything that appears on your current list to a junior team member in order to take on the new task?

While evaluating what's on your plate is a good thing, don't use this assessment tool to fight or finagle your way out of a new job or duty. Having additional responsibilities isn't necessarily a bad thing—sometimes it's a matter of perspective. Stop and consider the possibility that the new obligation might actually be a new opportunity. After all, your boss may have given the assignment to you because s/he felt you could do a good job with it. Take it as a compliment!

Also, by performing the duty, could you end up expanding your professional horizons and learning something new (to include on your resume)? By turning negatives into positives, we are more apt to grow in our jobs, which is crucial to professional development and mental health, particularly when working the daily grind.

If you are truly overwhelmed and can't complete your work within a reasonable amount of time, you need to be proactive and should talk to your boss immediately to enable him or her to reassign the task. When presenting your position, show your boss your detailed to-do list and explain the situation confidently in a friendly and respectful tone.

If your boss is adamant that you complete the activity, ask him or her if s/he has any advice or suggestions to offer you as to how you should incorporate the new task into your current workload. Does s/he think allocating some other projects or cases to colleagues would be useful?

Depending on the situation or assigned matter, another method is agreeing to help out "just this once in order to assist the team." Make sure your boss or whoever is assigning the task gets the message that your performing the task is extra work and, indeed, "a favor" that is not encompassed in your daily duties.

Be sure to follow up with that person after you have completed the task, asking him or her, "So, did that research I collected for you help?" The idea is that you want to be remembered for your positive attitude and willingness to pitch in when the need arises.

Sometimes a job evolves, and you end up doing work you were not hired to do. If you are only doing work you aren't interested in, you need to do something about it as soon as possible. Don't let your employer decide your career path for you!

Educate your boss on the assignments and types of extra work you are able to handle or will be interested in handling in the future. Demonstrate your ability to be flexible and willingness and interest to learn about new areas of the law. Be open to helping out the team and to new experiences, but be wise about setting boundaries and clear about what you are able or unable to do.

If you cannot change your work situation, then at least change the way you react to it, and take charge of the circumstances that are under your control. Regardless of your decision to undertake or forgo a new assignment, being proactive and professional is the key.
  1. Legal Jobs
  2. Legal Articles
  3. Attorney
  4. Attorney Career Advice
  5. Overcoming Obstacles
  6. Taking on the extra baggage of extra work

published March 19, 2007

( 12 votes, average: 4.8 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.

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