How do I deal with this in the manner of a rational adult

[ibeanamechanger]

Namechanged.

Bit of background. I am pt in a very demanding role. I have been pt for five years and until 18 mo ago, could manage my workload very well. In fact, I would often wonder what would have happened had I not reduced my hours if that makes sense.

Two years ago we were restructured, and there were job losses. I was fortunate in that I kept my job (I was never at risk) but since then my workload has slowly increased and is now out of control. We aren't really a target driven industry, in that until recently all deadlines were mine that I set to ensure things were done.

I am getting my work done, and it's fine, but I cannot do anything to the level of detail I should. There's a significant development part to my role - or at least there should be - but I cannot do this.

Everything I read suggests my time management is at fault, but in comparable organisations there would be a team undertaking my role. That sounds like an excuse but it isn't: I would estimate my role should be around 2.5 FTE instead of my fractional role. I have done a bit of benchmarking

I am under constant pressure from other departments. Some people I deal with forget I am pt and last year put me down for a major presentation on my day off. My DH had to take a day off work: they just wouldn't hear that I wasn't available (there is no flexibility clause in my contract).

I meet any deadlines set and am probably more efficient than full timers sometimes, but if I ever take 'too long' on something I am criticised. Full timers never are. To be clear, this doesn't come from any senior manager but colleagues, all of whom are actually less senior than me.

My immediate line manager's response is to suggest a speak to a counsellor. Not that this wouldn't be of benefit, but my issue is I have too much to and not enough time. My line manager can't see an issue, probably because I am getting things done.

The manager above my line manager, however, recognises that I am drowning. The stress is making me unwell. So this week we are discussing prioritising which will help hopefully.

I am a little fragile atm and fear getting upset at my manager. How can I articulate my issues without getting over emotional?

Sorry it's so long.

Your line manager is at fault here.
What is the annual performance and professions development process? In my organisation, you have a review meeting with your line manager to discuss results, concerns and opportunities, and the write-up of that meeting, with the reviewee having editorial control, goes to the line-manager's line manager. In your situation I would therefore be writing in this document "we discussed the fact that deadlines are only being met by sacrificing quality and decreasing available time for development aspects of the job" - the next sentence would depend on that discussion - would it be that your line manager decreed that this wasn't a problem? Or would it be that a path towards alleviating the situation was agreed? In either case you have written evidence submitted up the chain of command which can only be to your benefit so long as the manager's manager isn't an arse.

We don't have that kind of process. We should, but we don't.

I am required to submit monthly reports so the line manager should be able to see what I am dealing with. However, my reports are criticised for being too detailed (a side of A4).

Sorry, should have said thanks for your response - that all sounds sensible!

The solution to this is find another job.

You are being overloaded. Many firms are doing this deliberately to save cost and drive up profit. Sometimes they do it as a pretext before putting you on a disciplinary for poor performance and the firing you without redundancy pay. Either way, you are paying the price, they save cost and they collect the profit.

You could tell your boss you are being overloaded to the point you are now looking for another job. It is making you ill and you are not prepared to go on. Record the meeting in writing. Ask for a complete review of your role or you leave. Go to the doctor and explain the issues and get signed off if you are ill. Start looking for another job.

I love my actual job MoreBeta but I do look out for other positions. I work in a fairly niche area and am quite senior so they are few and far between.

I don't think there's pretext of anything tbh but I appreciate that does happen.

Can you make them simpler? Perhaps pre-digest the info into a table showing each project, and a colour coded status. With different colours for "completed to a good standard" and "completed with quality reservations", and different colours for "in progress, no concerns" and "in progress but don't bloody have enough time to do everything I need to here!". And add development projects in there too with a special colour for "never have enough time to start this".

Management very rarely have time to read and digest much verbose text. A single paragraph (2sentence) executive summary and a diagram or table is much better.

I already tabulate my monthly report but colour-coding sounds helpful to me if noone else.

What I struggle to understand is when colleagues say they can't do something and noone questions it, and yet when I mentioned I might not manage to research and write a report in less than a working day on a subject I knew nothing about, I got told off and told to "look at corporate guidelines for writing reports on the website". I was clear that I was able to do the task by the end of my next working day which I did.

The more I write the more incompetent I come across.

Sorry to hear of your situation.

I think your line manager needs to step up.

If you have too much work to do, he/she needs to help you prioritise. What are the aspects to your work that matter most to the org? Volume over quality?

Challenge any vague comments he/she makes, you need concrete proof and practical things you can respond too.

Is he/she in charge of your 'unhelpful' colleagues who make comments etc? If so he/she needs to tell them (discretely) to stop.

I think you might need to lower your standards. I say this as natural perfectionist myself who has learnt that too high standards is the road to ruin. You should aim for a 'good enough' output in the time you have.

Can you find a mentor? It sounds like your confidence has been dented. It might help you to have a safe space away from work to talk through issues. I just asked somebody I met if they would and they did a few sessions with me (for free).

If work are willing/able to pay for support (re the counsellor suggestion) I'd consider Excutive Coaching. I have had it before and it really helped. Again it is about having time & space to think about changing your thinking or ways of working.

Re your actual question...If I am worried about saying something difficult I send an email first. I know ideally you would do it in person but at least it gives you time to write a considered approach.

I would set it in the context of wanting to deliver the best for the co in the time you have. Outline all the things that have been added to your role since the restructure. Explain whilst you still hit deadlines you are finding the pressure v difficult esp your unhelpful colleagues and you would like to speak to him/her in your 121 etc about this and to ask him/her for their help.

Would that work?

Yes, it would, thank you!

So. Loooong conversation with my manager's manager. I articulated all my concerns (I had written them down beforehand so I was prepared and didn't miss anything out).

I actually feel like I'm being listened to now, and managed not to get upset, which was my main concern. My main issue is that although I'm senior, for historical reasons (i.e. my post holder in the past) I don't have much in the way of authority. This has been recognised now, and I am hopeful that something positive might happen.

Thank you for all of your support!