The Reward for Doing Well at My Job is More Unpaid Work

By

Hannah Kissel

August 4, 2026

•

13

min

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About the episode

If you find yourself searching "why am I getting more work than my teammates," you are falling into a competency trap where the organization rewards you for doing a great job with extra projects. For those wondering "how do I tell my boss I am struggling with stress," decide to disclose your medical condition by providing a brief doctor's note stating you need to reduce your hours or workload. When asking "how do I say no to extra work without looking bad," start documenting all of the projects you are already working on and show your people leader you are fully at capacity. If you are asking "what is the difference between being reliable and being promotable," remember that being reliable means you automatically say yes to getting work off your manager's plate, while being promotable requires taking on projects that give you influence and visibility. Finally, to answer "how can I stop tying my self-worth to my performance at work," you must zoom out in your life and find a fun hobby that is not competitive so you have an outlet to experience joy.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

High performers often pay a competency tax where organizations reward their amazing work ethic with an even larger workload.
Executing extra grunt work makes you reliable to your manager, but taking on projects with executive visibility makes you promotable.
Saying no to extra projects will cause guilt and shame, but setting boundaries to look after your health is sane rather than selfish.
Finding a non-competitive hobby outside of work like swing dancing gives you an outlet that has nothing to do with your performance.

Timestamps:

01:15 - The Listener's Dilemma: Burnout and Stress

02:15 - What is the "Competency Tax"?

04:30 - The Health Risks of Overwork (WHO Study)

05:15 - Distinguishing Between "Reliable" and "Promotable"

06:45 - Next Step: Documenting Your Capacity

08:45 - Reframing "Selfish" as "Sane"

09:30 - Zooming Out: Finding Joy Outside of Work

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I'm Hannah

Executive Coach, columnist, podcaster, and speaker.

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