Here's how to say no to extra work at your job and avoid burnout
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- Recent research found that nearly 4 in 10 workers suffered from burnout in the last year.
- Experts have attempted to label this growing phenomenon, with phrases like "quiet-quitting" becoming popular.
- Insider spoke to several workplace experts who advised how to say no to extra work when things become overwhelming.
Burnout is becoming a growing issue in the workplace.
According to research by The Adecco Group, nearly 4 in 10 workers reported suffering from it in the last year.
While the reasons behind the surge are complicated, many experts believe the COVID-19 pandemic played a role.
"It's been almost three years where there's been an entire world in day-to-day survival mode. Nobody really knew what would happen next, and it was extremely stressful," said Alexandra Levit, a business and workplace consultant.
Burnout results from chronic workplace stress and shows itself through feelings of increased exhaustion, negativity, and reduced efficacy in the workplace, according to the World Health Organization.
Experts have attempted to put labels on this growing phenomenon, with workplace concepts like "The Great Resignation" and "quiet-quitting" emerging over the last year.
One of the best ways to avoid burnout is by managing stress that can be exacerbated by taking on too much work. Insider spoke to several workplace experts who advised how to say no to extra work when things become overwhelming.
Ask for help
Jessica Kriegel, chief scientist of workplace culture at Culture Partners, advised that it's best to get ahead of stress before letting assignments pile on.
"If you're being given further assignments that you don't know how you're going to fit in, it's okay to ask for help," she said.
She suggested workers should raise their hands and ask for help prioritizing projects.
"It's really a soft way of saying, 'I can't do all that,'" she said.
Get your manager involved
Levit echoed Kriegel, saying it's best to flag a potentially stressful workload to a manager before it leads to burnout.
"You're basically getting your manager to be the bad guy for you. You should go back to the person asking you to do the extra work and say, 'I would love to be able to help you, but my manager has asked me to prioritize these other things," she said.
Levit advised that workers should always first prioritize assignments from their own manager.
Know when to walk away
S. Chris Edmonds, an executive consultant and CEO of The Purposeful Culture Group, said employees who constantly feel overloaded at work might need to make a hard choice.
He said if the job feels perfect except for certain demands, workers should ask themselves if they think the job will improve soon.
If not, Edmonds advised that employees should take advantage of the tighter labor market and explore whether there are any better opportunities out there.
"My view is, if you're not happy now, it's unlikely to get any prettier in the next 6 to 18 months," he said.
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