Today’s random topic… Doing tasks above your pay grade. Are you a go-getter? Do you like making sure that all of your tasks are getting done in a timely manner? Do you pick up everyone else’s slack when they are not doing what they need to, because you want to make sure that your team succeeds? Do you go above your pay grade?
I think to an extent we have all done this. What’s sad, is that when we go above our pay grade, we are adding more stress to ourselves. We start doing things that we know we shouldn’t be doing. It’s someone else’s job. But, we do it once to help out. Then, it becomes a constant. My dad used to use the saying, “You give an inch and they take a mile”. When I was younger, I didn’t really know what that meant. As I grew up, I learned what it meant. When I started working in the Corporate World at the age of nineteen, I really got to know what that saying meant. It happens all the time in the Corporate World, and it’s expected.
I am what some may call a “People Pleaser”. At least until I have had enough. But, I will go above and beyond to help make sure that things get done. I am one of the first people to ask, “What can I do to help?” However, I am starting to learn, that I can’t do that anymore. Not only is this hurting the people that I am stepping in for and not allowing them to learn how to do it themselves, or maybe work on their time management skills, but it is also hurting me.
When do we know when enough is enough? When do we realize that our sanity and mental health is more important than making sure that their work gets done? Does it really affect me? Probably not, but they are my “team” and in order for the “team” to look good, all of the work needs to get done. Right??
Actually, lately, I have come to realize that this is not the case. If you are doing your job and what you should be doing, it is not up to you to do everyone else’s job. It does not reflect badly on you if they do not get their tasks done. It only reflects badly on them. We need to get out of the mentality that if someone else needs help with something and our work can wait until the other tasks are complete. We need to stop thinking that our work can wait a “few more minutes” until our teammate’s work is done. Then, it turns into an hour or two. Then before you know it, it’s quitting time and you still have to finish up your work.
It’s too stressful, Honey. You need to stop, do your work and let them sink or swim on their own. The only time we should be stepping in, is if there is a hard stop deadline that cannot be missed and you only have a couple of hours to finish it. Then, when it’s done, there needs to be a management discussion to see why the person was waiting until the last minute to finish their tasks/projects. But, this isn’t on you. This is on them and not you. Stop getting down on yourself thinking “why didn’t I ask if they needed help sooner?” I do this all the time, so yes, I am also talking to myself. I have to make it a point to start taking my own advice.
But, doing other people’s jobs is above our pay grade. If we are supposed to be doing it, then our titles should reflect it. Our pay should reflect it. We need to start understanding our worth and stop letting people take advantage of our kindness!
That is all for today. Go out and be the awesome person that you are!! Much love!
Leave a comment