I Hate Being Asked To Do Something Unreasonable At Work - Can You Help?

The problem with unreasonable expectations is that it is totally subjective

One of the biggest reasons I have people come to me wanting urgent help is because they're frustrated at work

They feel their boss's expectations are unrealistic

They’re frustrated and feel like they aren't being treated fairly

They’re going to tell their boss to shove it

I've had it

They don't understand me

They’re overloading me

How do I cope with this?

They just want to run out of the door which usually leads to even more frustrations

I can't tell you what your boss expects

But here are some common unreasonable expectations and how to handle them

- Your boss asked you to do something that is impossible for you to accomplish in the time frame given

- Your boss gave you a task without checking if the team has enough work to do, or if everyone is busy with current tasks

- Your boss may be giving you extra work to push you to be your best

Sometimes unreasonable expectations are assigned to us at work, and it's best to clarify if they are truly unreasonable with your boss

Clarify what you think is really unreasonable and why, then ask your boss if it is really unreasonable

It may seem unreasonable to you because you can't finish the task within a short period of time, or because it requires a lot of work

Create a list of everything that's on your plate and the corresponding deadlines

Ask your boss what the expectations are and ask your boss to help you prioritise those tasks, because you may find the boss will look at the list and go, oh no, that's not urgent, I'd like you to focus here, here and here

And then suddenly you're not so overloaded

It’s always important to give someone an opportunity to explain their reasoning and you’ll pick up the vibe from the boss pretty quickly

If you’re getting more than your share of work in the team - remember your boss manages more than just you, they manage other people as well

And so sometimes they may not always be across everything on your plate

Your boss may be giving you extra work to push you to be your best

If you have a really good boss often they will set expectations that will push you out of your comfort zone

When we get so comfortable doing what we do and can pretty much do it in our sleep, your skills stagnate

So a good manager, a good boss will know what you’re skilled at and will help you grow your skills

And before demanding that your boss be reasonable, consider whether you're the problem

You may have simply misinterpreted their intentions or failed to understand their goals

Perhaps they're expecting more of you because they respect you and believe in your potential

If you've been doing good work and achieving your goals, it's unlikely that your boss is trying to punish you with extra assignments

Clarifying expectations with them will help both of you figure out if there is a misunderstanding or an unreasonable expectation

It's likely that there is not—your boss is just looking for more results from the same amount of effort, which is a totally reasonable goal