How to Be a Team Player — Without Burning Out | The Way We Work, a TED series
The Impact of Collaboration Overload
Understanding Collaborative Work
- Collaborative work encompasses all efforts to generate innovative ideas and plans with others, facilitated by various tools like meetings, Zoom, Slack, and email.
- While collaboration can enhance productivity and happiness, it has surged significantly in recent years, leading to potential overload.
The Rise of Collaboration Overload
- Research indicates that collaborative work has increased by 50% over the past decade, now consuming up to 85% of many people's workweeks.
- Even pre-pandemic data shows a trend where individuals are working five to eight hours more weekly due to extended collaboration times.
Internal vs. External Factors
- Initially perceived as external challenges (emails, time zones), the real issue lies within our beliefs about being productive colleagues.
- Many people willingly take on excessive collaborative tasks even when they have the option not to participate.
Triggers for Overcommitment
Desire to Help Others
- The desire to assist others is commendable but can lead to becoming overwhelmed and hinder personal goal achievement.
Need for Accomplishment
- A strong drive for accomplishment can become addictive; focusing on small wins may distract from addressing larger critical tasks.
Fear of Missing Out
- Fear manifests in various forms: missing opportunities or losing control leads individuals to overcommit and say yes too often.
Strategies for Managing Collaboration Overload
Learning to Say No
- It's essential to recognize your power in decision-making; clarify obligations before agreeing to new requests.
Delegation as a Tool
- Delegating tasks fosters self-reliance among colleagues; effective collaborators derive satisfaction from empowering others rather than always being involved themselves.
Intentional Work Life Crafting