When you're asked to do office housework (again)
The Move
Redirect the task, document the pattern, and use AI to make the invisible work visible.
The Script
"I'm happy to help this time. Going forward, I'd suggest we rotate this — I can set up a shared tracker so the distribution is visible. I've also got a higher-priority deliverable on [project] that I want to make sure stays on track."
Your AI Prompt
I keep being asked to handle [non-promotable task] at work. Draft a professional redirect that: (1) agrees to help this time, (2) proposes a rotation system, and (3) pivots to my higher-priority work. Tone: warm but boundaried, no apology.
Why This Works
Babcock, Peyser, Vesterlund & Weingart (2022) documented in The No Club that women spend 200+ more hours per year on non-promotable tasks than men. Babcock et al. (2017) showed women are 48% more likely to volunteer for these tasks — and organizations are 44% more likely to ask them. Making the pattern visible is the first step to changing it.
Research Behind This Move
The No Club: Putting a Stop to Overworking and Being Undervalued
Babcock, Peyser, Vesterlund & Weingart · HBR Press · 2022
Gender Differences in Accepting Non-Promotable Tasks
Babcock, Recalde, Vesterlund & Weingart · American Economic Review · 2017