5 tips for the overworked and underappreciated

You’ve been working your fingers to the bone—extra hours, extra work, extra everything—except extra recognition and appreciation. It seems like no one notices the hard work you put in.

However you ended up in this situation, there are things you can do to get it under control.

One thing to remember, as Roxanne Peplow of Computer Systems Institute points out, is that “you cannot seek praise from others—it has to come from within.”

Rather than waiting to be praised, be proud of your own accomplishments. Shed light onto your achievements, and give credit where it’s due.

“If you feel that you are doing more than what is expected of you and it isn’t being recognized, you are making yourself a victim. When you victimize yourself, it’s impossible to be positive,” Peplow says.

Here’s what you can do instead:

1. Speak up

If you’re overworked, speak up. “Many employees and workers mistakenly believe their job is at stake if they say they can’t handle one more project. More projects equals less focus, less quality,” says Steve Duffy, president of ListHere.com.

Duffy, like most managers, would rather have an employee deliver great results rather than take on too much and fall short.