Do you have more to do on the job than you can possibly get done?  Is your heavy workload causing you to feel stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted?  If you don’t address the issue, then your long work hours can lead to burnout.  Burnout can be detrimental to your job and your physical and emotional health.

If you find that your workload has increased beyond your capacity, then it’s time to meet with your boss to address the issue.  Here are key points to cover in your meeting.

• Assure your Boss of your Commitment to Work – Explain to your boss that your work is important.  You’re feeling overloaded with work, and you want to continue to be productive and perform at a high level rather than burn out.
• Clarify Job Expectations and Priorities – The first step is to make sure you’re clear on your job expectations and priorities.  Make a list of your most important work projects.  Review this list with your manager, and together prioritize your work priorities.  You’ll need to focus most of your time and attention on these priorities.
• Cut out any Non-Value-Added Activities – Review your job description.  Make a note of any tasks you perform that are not part of your job description.  Your boss may not even be aware of the extra duties you’ve been saddled with.  Then determine if there are any tasks that can be eliminated.  Maybe you’re expected to write a weekly report, but you know that no one ever reads the report.  If it’s not adding value, then get rid of it.

If, after implementing these changes, you find that your workload still requires countless hours a week to complete, then schedule another meeting with your manager to explore other options, such as hiring an assistant or intern, or balancing the workload by assigning it to someone else.

By addressing your heavy workload, you’ll be able to meet your work commitments and deadlines without burning out!