Good news: You feel indispensable.
Bad news: it’s possible for you to basically never take a vacation.
Heres how to get out of this messor, better yet, avoid it in the first place.
I started at my current (nonprofit) organization a few years ago as an administrative assistant.
Every time my job description is rewritten, more responsibilities are added.
Still, the phrase Dana Can Do It!
has practically become the organizations motto.
(Dana is not my real name, but you get the idea.)
Its nice to be needed; being indispensable is always good for job security.
I ended up having a kind of mini-nervous breakdown.
(I am still within my allotted number of paid days off for the year).
But I worry about losing my indispensable status.
Where is the middle ground?
What can I do to improve the situation?
You mention hard-fought negotiation, then a kind of breaking point, and a co-manager berating you.
What probably matters most here is the communication thats happeningornothappeningin between these more dramatic moments.
Versions of this problem are actually pretty commonplace.
Heres how to fix it (or avoid it altogether if you move on to someplace new).
You are not a superhero
First off, pretty much nobody is indispensable.
And thinking of oneself in those terms is a bad idea.
Your colleagues my not evenrealizetheyre exploiting you.
But its basic human nature to say, Dana can do it!
I mean, Id let you write this column for me if I could get away with it!
That is not a comment on you.
Life would go on.
Aim to be appreciated as a really helpful and positive person to have aroundwanted rather than needed.
Nobody knows the challenges you face better than you do.
So I think we can solve that by training so-and-so to do X.
That should make us all more efficient.
Be open to other ideas, of course, whether they come from the boss or somebody else.
In fact,seekother ideas.
Where is that person now?
Can you reach out and maybe get some insights you could deploy to make your life easier?
Some of this may not be possible.
Stiffen your spine
None of this means rolling over; in fact it means the opposite.
And the deeply unfair no-vacation problem offers an opportunity.
Dont bother framing that as an outrage that needs to be addressed (even though it is).
Can I get your help in making sure this goes smoothly?
Note that while this sounds accommodating, its presented as a fact.
You aretakingthe vacation, and its in everyones interest to minimize any resulting problems.
Send your work-world questions to[email protected].
Questions may be edited for length and clarity.
