I read an interesting article recently called How to Avoid Doing Everyone Else’s Job. In the article, Craig Jarrow asks, “Are you not getting your work done? Maybe you are not getting your work done because you are doing everyone else’s.”

“Hmmm. Am I doing everyone else’s work?” I thought. I don’t want to be that employee that always says, “that is not in my job description” when they are asked to do something, but I also need to have time to get my work completed too.

Jarrow explains that “we all want to be helpful, go-getting, problem solvers. However, this sometimes leads us to take on a workload that is not ours. We can soon find ourselves doing everyone’s work but our own.”

Annie Mueller agrees and says that it is important to take yourself seriously and “don’t do other people’s jobs for them… Do your job – and stay out of everyone else’s responsibilities. Take them seriously, too.”

Does it really help someone if I am doing their job for them? Well, not really. How are they going to learn new skills or practice skills that maybe they are not so great at if I just do it for them? I guess I need to work on my patience and the phase, “I can SHOW you how to do that.”

Have you been doing your job and someone else’s? Leave me a comment and let me know how you were able to give them back their work and get back to doing your own job.

Photo Credit – Khwanriam Chitaree