'I can do everything - just ask me!' This is a major workplace stress trap for the overenthusiastic employee, the Super-worker, who wants to be honored and valued all the time. At one level, it is great to think that a person has the confidence and the motivation to do everything at work. But there are clear problems with this workplace stress trap. At another level it is very dangerous in a number of ways: the first problem is you may be working outside your zone of competence and this will become very obvious to everyone in a short time; secondly, it will mean that you take on too many assignments and fall into the ‘I can't say no’ workplace stress trap; thirdly you'll suddenly find that you're losing friends at work because of your overinflated opinion of your talents.

Clearly, it is very hard to live with a person who believes that they can do everything. One of the side effects of this attitude is a certain amount of insensitivity to others coupled with a level of arrogance that can be unsettling to everyone. If you are in this situation, and stress is mounting, it is time for you to consider an alternative approach to your workplace enthusiasm.

You are probably not the first person to fall into this workplace stress trap and you certainly won't be the last. Assuming that you're not arrogant and do not have an over inflated opinion of your talents, you have to wonder why you would take on this role. If you are new to the job and are trying to impress your supervisor, this is understandable. If you are young and inexperienced and you want to impress others, this is also understandable. But if you are a mature and seasoned employee and you still send out the message that you can do everything (and perhaps better than anyone else is the hidden message) then it is time to stop and review your motives and your behavior.

How to Escape from the Workplace Stress Trap – I, Super-worker, Can Do Anything in This Organization

The first thing is to undertake a personal review of your behavior, motivation, and performance. Try to determine why you want to be Superman or Superwoman in the workplace. If you still have good friends left in the organization, sit down and ask them their perceptions of your work place behavior. Everyone sets personal and workplace goals to guide and direct their behavior. We all have an inner drive to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves. We evaluate our goal achievement and we modify and expand our goal set. There's nothing wrong with this at all as goal directed behavior is part of healthy living. The obvious strategy though, when we find ourselves in this workplace stress trap, is to reevaluate our goals and behavior to determine the appropriateness of our activity.

When you have completed your goal review, list your goals and outline a reasonable way of behaving. This should help you establish a rational and reasonable pattern of behavior. When you have modified your behavior you should find it easier to conduct yourself in a more appropriate way. Stick to your own job. Complete your assigned tasks well. Do not offer to do everything. Be an ordinary person not a Super-worker. You will find that people are more amenable to working with you and you will earn their respect and support. By avoiding this workplace stress trap you will reduce your own workplace stress and increase your job satisfaction. Then you can say goodbye to Super-worker.