How to talk to your boss about having too much work

When you document your tasks, be clear about where requests come from and to whom you are passing your completed work.

Your boss may be unaware of how many people add things to your to-do list. The information can help in deciding which people should be able to give you assignments and how those tasks should be handled.

Knowing the groups' overall workflow can help determine what other aspects of a project depend on your contribution. This can help in setting priorities for your work.

If you are already working efficiently, you'll have to determine which tasks will get done and which ones need to be passed on or left for now.

Consider what work you would prioritise if you could decide what to do. Then, write down your justification and bring that information to the meeting.

When your boss suggests a different set of priorities to yours, orient the discussion to understand the reasoning. This will help you know how people in supervisory roles think about workflow.