There’s a specific kind of rage that bubbles up when a boss gives you attitude—especially when you’ve been holding the entire place together with duct tape, prayer, and unpaid labor. You stand there, face neutral, voice calm, but your inner monologue is screaming:
“I do way too many people’s jobs for you to be talking to me like that.”
If that hits, you’re not alone. You’re likely the unofficial therapist, tech support, onboarding liaison, and office glue—all wrapped up in one underpaid salary. The problem? No one ever asked you to do all that. You just… did. Because you’re competent. Because you care. Because if you didn’t do it, it wouldn’t get done. And now? You’re being reprimanded, side-eyed, or micromanaged by someone who couldn’t run your job for a day without setting the place on fire.
The Unpaid Employee of the Month Syndrome
Let’s name it: Employee of the Month Syndrome. It’s what happens when being “good at your job” morphs into doing everyone else’s job too. It’s the admin who starts planning staff retreats. The nurse who manages supply inventory. The social worker who suddenly becomes a grant writer. It’s not even always about upward mobility—sometimes it’s just about survival.
And let’s be real: it’s often Black women, queer folks, first-gen professionals, and other marginalized workers who fall into this trap. Not because we’re trying to be superheroes—but because we’ve been taught that to stay safe, to stay employed, to be respected, we must do more. Smile more. Be helpful. Be agreeable. Show initiative. Fix things we didn’t break.
We’ve seen this play out on screen, too. Think of Molly from Insecure, carrying the weight of her law firm’s incompetence, only to be painted as “difficult.” Or Issa herself, juggling events, budgets, and partnerships at We Got Y’all, while her white colleagues coast on mediocrity. These aren’t just TV characters—they’re case studies. Cautionary tales for anyone who’s ever been too good at what they do.
Workplace Gaslighting 101: “You’re So Valuable Here”
Here’s the kicker. When you bring up how overextended you feel, the response is rarely actionable. It’s not, “Let’s get you support” or “Let’s adjust your workload.” No, it’s usually:
- “You’re just so good at what you do.”
- “We don’t know what we’d do without you.”
- “We’re a family here.”
If your job starts feeling like Fast & Furious levels of “family” talk, be careful—you might be driving yourself straight into burnout. Love doesn’t keep the lights on. Support does. Boundaries do.
Newsflash: Burnout Isn’t a Badge of Honor
In 2021, the World Health Organization officially recognized burnout as an occupational phenomenon. Not a personal failure. Not a lack of grit. A workplace issue. That same year, Gallup reported that nearly 76% of employees experience burnout on the job at least sometimes—and that overcommitment is a major driver.
The era of “hustle culture” is crashing. Gen Z is already pushing back, favoring work-life balance, transparency, and mental wellness. The rise of “quiet quitting” wasn’t about laziness—it was about finally saying no to unpaid, unappreciated labor. It was about reclaiming time, dignity, and identity outside of performance metrics.
What To Do When You’re Doing Too Much
If you recognize yourself in this post—if you are the person doing three people’s jobs and still being side-eyed—here’s what I want you to remember:
- Document everything. Keep receipts. Not out of paranoia, but protection.
- Set boundaries. Just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should. Practice saying, “That’s outside my scope.”
- Advocate for yourself. In writing. With timelines. With specifics. If they say no to additional support, ask for it in email.
- Exit strategically if needed. Sometimes the only answer is the door. Don’t be afraid to leave the plantation for the promised land.
Final Thought: Talk to Me Nice
If management wants top-tier performance, they need to bring top-tier respect. This isn’t about ego. It’s about equity. About recognizing the people who show up early, stay late, and keep the whole operation running—even when they’re running on fumes.
So yes, when your boss gets snippy, dismissive, or ungrateful, it’s perfectly fair to think:
“I do way too many people’s jobs for you to be talking to me like that.”
Because you do. And it’s time they recognized that—or someone else will.
Want to reclaim your time?
Drop a story in the comments about a time you did the most at work and still got the least recognition. Let’s make visible what employers try to ignore.
Your labor isn’t invisible. And neither are you.
Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash
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