Confessions of a Workplace Martyr

Do you remember any of your High School or college jobs?

I worked my way through undergrad and graduate school as a bank teller and then a Customer Service rep in one of those “supermarket banks.” Yeah, it was about as much fun as it sounds.

Maybe it’s because I’m from New York originally, or maybe it’s just my personality, but I move quickly and I hate to waste time. When that clock struck 6 pm, I was zipping around the bank branch like a Tasmanian Devil on energy drinks, counting cash, scanning deposit slips, and cleaning up so we could go home.

Then there was Patti. That wasn’t her real name, but let’s just say that Patti did not move as quickly as I. In fact, very soon after I started, Patti realized that if she just took a slow stroll to the bathroom and then took her sweet time counting her cash drawer, I would finish all of the other work and she wouldn’t have to lift a finger.

I resented Patti. Truth be told, I hated Patti. She got to relax and do a fraction of the work I did, because she knew that I wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible and would end up doing her share of the work as well.

This scenario has played out throughout my life. Whether planning events or working on projects, I always seem to be jumping in to pick up someone else’s slack. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this to make myself look good. On the contrary, I’m admitting that this has been an ongoing challenge in my life. A challenge that has led to resentment, frustration, exhaustion, and eventually burnout.

Hi, my name is Sheryl and I’m a Workplace Martyr… and you may be too.

Teammates should be there for one another. That’s why we have teams. However, if one person is frequently covering another person’s workload, there are bound to be some issues.

How to Determine if you are a Workplace Martyr

Does my scenario sound familiar? Does it remind you of any jobs you’ve had? There are a variety of signs that you may be in this situation as well. Read on to figure out if Workplace Martyrdom is at play in your life.

• Have you ever found yourself swooping in at the last minute to save the day?
• What about doing other people’s work because they aren’t doing it and you don’t want to see the project fail?
• Are you constantly staying late and coming in on weekends to make sure that someone else’s work is done?

If this sounds like you, you may be a martyr as well.

3 Strategies to End Your Workplace Martyr Ways

Do you work for a company? Unfortunately, no boss will ever penalize you for doing more than your fair share of the work. For most managers, as long as the work gets done, they don’t really care who’s doing it.  Think they’ll see all of your hard work and roll out the welcome parade right to a raise and a new office? Nope.  don’t expect to be revered or rewarded either.

Do you own your own business or collaborate with a partner? Your behavior may be seen as “controlling.” But, there’s a deeper issue at play.

You see, I’ve worked in many jobs, served on many boards, and collaborated with many people… and this need to “save the day” hasn’t appeared in every one of these situations. This suggests that there are other factors influencing the situation.

Let’s look at a few possibilities that could be affecting how you show up in business (and what you can do about it).

1) There is no clear delineation of roles or assignment of responsibilities. If you don’t know where your responsibilities end and the next employee’s begin, it’s difficult to know when to step back and let someone else do the work. This can also be an issue when due dates are not included in specific responsibilities.

How to Fix it: If you work for a company, talk to your boss. Let him or her know that you feel as if you’re stepping on your colleague’ s toes and ask for some clarity around your responsibilities.

2) You don’t feel secure or safe in your job. If there have been mass layoffs or just a new manager that came in to “trim the fat,” you may be afraid that your future at the company is in jeopardy.

How to Fix it: If you are spending half your time doing someone else’s work, you’re not giving your responsibilities 100% of your attention and your performance may be slipping. Focus on doing your job the best you can possibly do it. It’s the only job you’ll be held accountable for.  (And, if the company is really heading downhill, it never hurts to have your resume updated and ready to go.)

3) You don’t trust the people you’re working with. Whether this is justified or not, if you don’t trust that the people you collaborate with are capable of doing what they have to do, you’ll constantly feel the need to step in.

How to fix it: You might not like this, but it’s time for them to sink or swim. You have to sit back and let the other person struggle and potentially fail. They may even surprise you and be much more capable than you ever expected. Or, your boss (or you if you’re self-employed) may realize that they don’t belong in the role they’re currently in, and it’s time to release them.

Being a Workplace Martyr is exhausting. While it may feel good to swoop in and save the day every so often, this behavior will wear on you, cause resentment, and ultimately destroy relationships. Work on nixing your martyring behaviors now and enjoy work a happier existence.