You Might Want to Think Twice Before You Help Your Coworkers

Stocksy

With the exception of when our earbuds are in—the universal sign for leave me alone—most of us are more than happy to pitch in to help a coworker solve a problem, bounce ideas, or even reorganize her filing system. But helping our colleagues in need comes at a very high price, recent research shows—and that cost isn’t just lost time.

For three consecutive work weeks, researchers at Michigan State University surveyed nearly 70 employees across various industries, analyzing employees’ diary data to see the relationship between “responding to help requests, perceived prosocial impact of helping, and helpers’ regulatory resources,” according to their study, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology. And what they discovered might make you think twice before you lend a helping hand to your next coworker in need.

According to the researchers, on the days that the participants helped coworkers, they also drank the most coffee, took the most breaks, and reported feeling the most tired. In science terms, the researchers say, helping coworkers actually depletes our regulatory resources—such as our ability to recuperate, remain attentive and alert, and feel motivated.

Of course, helping people can make us feel good, and the researchers are quick to point out that our regulatory resources—even if they are depleted—can be replenished just through the emotional benefits of helping others. However, there’s a catch: The researchers found that the regulatory resources of people who are more inclined to help others—rather than those who might begrudgingly do so—are replenished to a lesser extent.

The lesson here, however, shouldn’t be to be less generous. You can still help your coworkers while staying on task and alert. Knowing that lending a hand could come at a personal cost, it's easier to be more selective with when and how often you help, and to take precautions to make sure you don’t fall behind—or fall asleep—after you've chipped in.

Source: http://www.glamour.com/story/you-might-want-to-think-twice-before-you-help-your-coworkers