Project on top of project on top of project... how do I say enough?

[PuppyDogEyes]

I'm an administrative assistant in a non-profit organization. I work in the IT (computer) department, but I usually do very different things for different departments, simply because I have the time on my hands and in NPO's there's always something to do.

 

Right now, I'm having a big problem in that it's coming up on the end of our fiscal year (ends June 30th), and there's a great deal to finish up. This doesn't bother me, but what is bothering me is that I have 10, 15 projects that I'm working on - simultaneously. And very often I'm interrupted in the middle of something with a phone call... "Hi, could you help me with this for a moment?" or "I need you to do something for me", or similar.

 

Normally I wouldn't mind helping people out - but I have an incredible workload right now, at least 15 things to do, and they all have to be done in less than 2 weeks' time. I'm starting to feel like my back is breaking.

 

Not only this, but when I do take a moment to help out with whatever they're asking me to do, I get told a lot of times that "I did it wrong". WTF? If I did it wrong, then do it your damned self. Only thing is, you can't tell your boss that. If what I do is wrong, then why does he even ask me? It's not as if I'm hanging around his office begging for work to do. A lot of times I'll mess up because I'm stressed out and worrying about the 15 other projects I have going on!

 

I guess I'm venting, but.... I'm wondering how to go about telling my boss that I can't handle more than what I've got going on. I've never refused to do a job, not even a slight protest - and I wouldn't now, except for the fact that I've got too much on my shoulders. A lot of the work that I have to do isn't transferable to others because it's technical in nature, but some of the projects that I have could have been done by others (i.e., administrative work, proofreading, etc.). I don't want to seem like I'm refusing to do the work, but I've always had a hard time speaking up.

 

What should I do? I've got 9 days to finish this crap up and I don't think I'll make it!

 

(P.S. I'm at work now. And yes, I took a small break to post here but believe me, I'm right back at it again. I don't think I've had a lunch break in a week.)

[blind_otter]

learn to say no. You have too much to do, so you can't do anything else. It's just a fact. So if someone else calls asking for help just tell them you are juggling 15 different projects and don't have the time. And why don't you pick a few people to call and ask them to help. If they refuse, at least you'll get a brief tutorial on how to say "no" gracefully, eh?

[The slayer]

I've been in similair situatios. Working in a non profit organisaton is really difficult. Thee is always loads going on, and being non profit making sometimes people don't always focus on things in a targeted way.

 

People often tend to just pass the stress on and it sounds like you are in you bosses firing line.

 

What you have to do is not just finding a way to reducing your current work load but finding a way to make sure this doesn't keep happening again and again.

 

You obviously can't do everything your Boss is expecting you to do in the time you have to do it. So I would suggest that you prioritise, work out the most important things and write a list of the things that you think you can do in the time you have left.

 

Then go and see your Boss and point out that if you carrying on trying to do all these things you can only fail or do them really badly.

 

Then you can ask your Boss if they agree with the priorities as you see them or if they would rather you concentarted on some of the other projects.

 

Then you can sit down with your Boss agree the priorities and a timescale. This will help you to be focused and will help your Boss to appreciate things from your point of view.

 

This might be really difficult to do if your Boss is a bit of tyrant or difficult to talk to, but it certainly isn't going to make things any worse and it might make things a whole lot better.

 

Your Boss needs to know if they are expecting too much of you, or they always way.

 

Good luck and make sure you do take a bit of time for yourself. Working through lunch usually means you end up achieving even less by the end of the day and leaving you much more stressed. Half an hour's break always helps you to be more productive a good manager should know that.

[belayakoshka]

I guess it is too late

I used to be like this in my last job - doing favors to other people and making tens of different tasks which I didn't supose to do

When I started to say no and to appriciate more my time - they fired me, after 6 years!

no I am not working and I am happy

[PuppyDogEyes]

Thanks for the responses, all. It's June 30th - the deadline - and I don't know how I made it. But I did. (whew)

 

The problem with working in an NPO is that it's "feast or famine". I either have way too much to do, where I'm ready to tear my hair out (like last week), or I don't have enough and I'm desperately looking around for something to make me look busy (say, like posting on LS during the day, lol). If there were only a happy medium, I could live with it.

 

Blind_Otter, it's interesting that you bring up the "say no" thing, because I've always, always, always had a problem with it. I'm dealing with that fact in my therapy now, as well - ever since I was small, I was afraid to hear the word "no", always afraid to say the word "no". I'm afraid of conflict, and the consequences that come out of refusing. It's easy to try and look my boss in the eye and tell her, "Sorry, but I've got too much to do for me to take that on right now..."... and I do say it in my head.... but what ends up coming out is a sullen, "Okay." I'm just too afraid of what will happen to me (I know, probably nothing, but...)...

 

They actually began to ease off when my supervisor saw me sitting at my desk with my head in my hands, trying to ward off a headache. I think that's when they got the message that maybe they'd overloaded me, because suddenly I wasn't getting any more to do, and I was able to concentrate on the remaining jobs that I had left.

 

I'll be all right for a week or two, but then it'll start up again (summer's not a good time in this particular field of industry where I work in). I just wish it didn't take the beginnings of a migraine to communcate... I'm such a chickens***.

 

-pde.

[PuppyDogEyes]

I've been in similair situatios. Working in a non profit organisaton is really difficult. Thee is always loads going on, and being non profit making sometimes people don't always focus on things in a targeted way.

 

Wow, you can say that again.

 

Your post title asked me what my boss was like. Interesting that you ask. My boss has actually known me since I was a young child (about 10 or so). You see, my mother works for the same company (albeit a different branch altogether - but she used to work for the main office, where I am now). She's getting ready to retire, but I'm just starting - probably one of the only reasons we're allowed to both be here. (We're not allowed to work in the same location, however, and we don't.)

 

So I could add in that element to the "saying no" thing, while I'm at it. Telling my boss no is just as if I'm refusing to do something my mother tells me. It's a close and more intimate relationship than most employee/supervisor relationships are, but at the same time there's a high risk of anger/resentment possibilities. (Not that it would happen, I don't think - I get along better with my supervisor than my mother does - but you just never know.)

 

Good luck and make sure you do take a bit of time for yourself. Working through lunch usually means you end up achieving even less by the end of the day and leaving you much more stressed. Half an hour's break always helps you to be more productive a good manager should know that.

 

Thanks. That's the one thing they don't ever give me a hassle about is breaks. If I need to get out of here, they'll let me take a coffee break or a quick 5 minute walk to clear my head. The deadline crunch is what got me for the last couple of weeks - end of the fiscal year for an NPO is always rough, so the push was on. It should all settle down after today.

 

-pde.

[srsvfx]

ops edit sorry wrong post