DO YOU GIVE YOURSELF TOO MUCH ON THE PLATE?
When workers hear rumours of redundancy, many react by doing more. They take on extra tasks, reply to messages at all hours, volunteer for every project and try to prove they are indispensable. At first, this may feel like a smart survival strategy. After all, if the company sees how useful you are, surely they will keep you. But in reality, giving yourself too much on the plate can weaken your performance, damage your wellbeing and make it harder to plan your next move.
Some Realities
Redundancy pressure creates a unique kind of anxiety. You may feel you have to show loyalty, productivity and flexibility all at once. You may worry that refusing extra work will make you look uncommitted. You may accept tasks outside your role because you do not want to appear difficult. You may even ignore warning signs in your body and mind because you believe rest is a luxury you cannot afford.
But overloading yourself is not the same as protecting your career. In fact, it can do the opposite. When you carry too much, your focus becomes scattered. You may start many things and finish few. You may make avoidable mistakes. You may become short-tempered with colleagues or family. You may lose sleep, eat poorly and feel constantly behind. Instead of appearing effective, you may begin to appear overwhelmed.
Stark Realities
This matters because redundancy planning requires clear thinking. You need energy to review your finances, understand your rights, update your CV, search for roles, attend interviews, speak to recruiters, learn new skills and make decisions about your future. If all your energy is consumed by trying to carry everything at work, you may have nothing left to prepare for what comes next.
There is a difference between being committed and being overburdened. A committed worker does their job well, communicates clearly and contributes value. An overburdened worker keeps absorbing tasks without boundaries until their performance and health suffer. Employers may appreciate your effort, but that does not mean the business situation will change. If your role is genuinely at risk because of restructuring or financial pressure, exhausting yourself may not save it.
This can be difficult to accept because many people connect their self-worth to how much they can endure. They believe that saying “I am busy” proves importance. They believe that being constantly needed is a sign of value. But in the modern workplace, sustainable performance is more valuable than silent suffering. You are not a machine. You are a person with limits, responsibilities and a future beyond one employer.
Self Audit
If you are currently at risk of redundancy, one of the most practical things you can do is conduct a workload audit. Write down everything you are currently carrying. Include official responsibilities, extra tasks, emotional labour, unpaid overtime, informal support you give colleagues, meetings, reporting duties and projects that have quietly landed on your desk. Seeing it on paper can be revealing. Many workers discover they are doing far more than their job description suggests.
Once you have listed everything, divide your work into three categories. The first category is essential work: tasks that are clearly part of your role and directly linked to business needs. The second category is useful work: tasks that help but may not be urgent or may be shared with others. The third category is unnecessary or poorly owned work: tasks that have fallen to you because nobody else claimed them, because processes are unclear, or because you find it difficult to say no.
Strategic Workload Management
This exercise is not about becoming lazy. It is about becoming strategic. During uncertain times, your goal should be to perform well where it matters most. If you are trying to do everything, you may not do the most important things properly. A worker who delivers three meaningful outcomes is often more valuable than one who is exhausted by ten scattered tasks.
You also need to learn how to communicate capacity. Many people think boundaries sound rude, but professional boundaries can be respectful and practical. Instead of saying, “I can’t do that,” you might say, “I can help with this, but I will need to move another deadline.” Instead of silently accepting more work, you might say, “Which of these tasks should take priority?” This shifts the conversation from personal refusal to workload management.
Communication And Emotional Overload
If your role is under review, documenting your workload can also help you speak clearly during discussions. You may be able to show the range of responsibilities you currently handle and ask whether these duties will continue if your role is removed. This does not guarantee that redundancy will be avoided, but it gives you a more informed basis for conversation. It may also reveal whether parts of your work could support redeployment or a revised role.
Beyond work tasks, many redundant or at-risk workers also take on too much emotionally. They become the strong one at home. They reassure their partner, hide their fears from children, support colleagues, worry about bills and still try to appear normal. This emotional overload is real. Losing a job or fearing job loss is not only a career issue; it can affect identity, confidence, relationships and mental health.
That is why planning should not be done in isolation. If you are carrying too much, speak to someone you trust. This may be a partner, friend, union representative, careers adviser, mentor or financial guidance service. You do not need to share every detail with everyone, but you do need support. Silence makes pressure heavier. A conversation can help you organise your thoughts and reduce panic.
Financial Planning
Your financial plate also needs attention. Some workers avoid looking at their finances because they are afraid of what they will find. But uncertainty becomes less frightening when you know your numbers. Review your rent or mortgage, utilities, food, transport, debts, subscriptions and essential commitments. Then identify what can be paused, reduced or renegotiated if needed. This is not defeatist; it is responsible planning.
If redundancy becomes likely, avoid the temptation to make emotional financial decisions. Do not rush into expensive courses without checking whether they genuinely improve your prospects. Do not drain savings to maintain appearances. Do not ignore creditors if you are struggling. Do not assume redundancy pay will last longer than it will. A calm money plan can protect you from deeper stress later.
Career planning also becomes harder when your plate is overloaded. You may say you want a new job, but if your evenings are consumed by exhaustion, you may never apply properly. A rushed CV, generic applications and poorly prepared interviews can reduce your chances. Instead, create realistic time blocks. Even thirty focused minutes a day can help if used well. One evening can be for CV improvement. Another can be for researching roles. Another can be for contacting people. Another can be for learning.
The goal is not to rebuild your life overnight. The goal is to stop carrying everything without direction. Redundancy planning is a process. It requires prioritisation, not panic. When you reduce unnecessary weight, you create space for action.
Practical Realistic Measures
It is also important to separate guilt from responsibility. You may feel guilty for resting when your job is at risk. You may feel guilty for not doing more. But rest is not laziness. Rest is part of resilience. A tired mind often sees only danger. A rested mind can see options. You need clarity to make good decisions about your future.
If you have been giving yourself too much on the plate, now is the time to pause and reassess. Ask yourself what you are carrying that truly belongs to you. Ask what can be delegated, delayed, discussed or dropped. Ask what future-focused actions you have been avoiding because your present workload is too heavy.
Redundancy can make life feel unstable, but overloading yourself will not create stability. Structure will. Boundaries will. Clear priorities will. Honest conversations will. A practical plan will.
You do not need to prove your worth by breaking yourself. You need to protect your energy so you can use it wisely. The next stage of your career may require courage, learning and persistence. Make sure you are not too exhausted to step into it.
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