Being the “nice” person at work is great – until you’re everyone’s doormat for favors, overtime, and emotional dumping. You feel that you’re winning people’s trust, but you might be really poisoning your own boundaries. That kind comment or courteous behavior might quietly hold you back as everybody else surges ahead.
Saying “Yes” Before You Think
That instant “Sure, I can help with that!” might be nice-sounding. But it’s killing your productivity. Whenever you say yes without thinking, you’re taking on other people’s work for yourself. The result? You are the one who gets to leave the office last as everyone else heads home. It’s not a badge of honor. It’s really self-sabotage in the name of teamwork.
Taking On Tasks No One Else Wants
You think it makes you reliable. They think it makes you a trash can. Doing all the boring or unthankful tasks won’t earn you respect. It will only ensure they continue to leave them for you. Smart workers pick their fights (and their projects).
Downplaying Your Wins and Avoiding Credit to Stay “Humble”
“Oh, it was nothing.” No, it was something. It is something. Downplaying your success does not make you humble. It makes people forget you had anything to do with it. If you don’t praise yourself, nobody will. The same with giving away credit every time. It’s career suicide. You’ve worked for your success. Take your fair share of it. If you let others bask in all the glory, they’ll reap all the praise and the promotions.
Avoiding Conflict at All Costs
You think that you are keeping the peace, but in doing so, you’re losing respect. You’re afraid to disagree or challenge illogical thoughts because you don’t want to be seen as not being placid. Healthy conflict wins you trust – because people know you stand for something. Silence, on the other hand, yells insecurity.
Being the “Office Therapist”
Being the “office therapist” might make you feel needed, but it is emotionally draining and utterly unscaleable. While you’re taking care of everyone else, your own goals are pushed into the shadows. You’re hired to do your job, not to be sympathetic.
Working Late Just to “Look Committed”
We get it, you want to seem busy. But rolling in late each day will not awe anyone anymore. It screams poor time management and poor boundaries. The brutal truth? The “team players” who put in the late nights never get a payoff – they simply burn out.
Offering to “Help” When Nobody Asked
You mean well, but unsolicited help can look like overstepping or micromanaging. Sometimes people don’t want help – they just want space. Helping isn’t about jumping in; it’s about knowing when not to.
18 Things You Should Never Say in a Job Interview After 50
If you actually want the job (and not just a polite rejection email), try not saying the following 18 things unless you enjoy being ghosted by HR. Because “I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive” is not the flex you think it is.
18 Things You Should Never Say in a Job Interview After 50