Have you heard about Busy Bragging? Maybe not, but you have probably suffered through it at some point. Also known as “Stress Bragging,” busy bragging is when people try to show off how important they must be by constantly complaining about being overworked and a new study from the University of Georgia (UGA) found just how problematic it is becoming.
Busy bragging, also known as stress bragging, is when someone constantly talks about how overloaded their schedule is. They might mention it to colleagues, friends, or even family. While they might think it makes them seem important and dedicated, it can actually have the opposite effect.
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This may seem insensitive because others might be struggling with their own workload and bragging about being busy can be hurtful. It can also make the person seem incompetent since people who are truly on top of things usually don’t feel the need to broadcast how busy they are. Also, this type of behavior can damage relationships as constantly complaining about being overwhelmed can put a strain on your interactions with others.
The new research from the University Of Georgia Terry College Of Business seems to have confirmed this. The research found that people who brag about their stress levels are seen as less competent and less likable by their co-workers.
While workplace stress is pervasive and detrimental to well-being, a curious trend has emerged: some employees brag about it, explained the researchers. Given the negative aspects of stress, the reasons behind this behavior and its impact on work relationships remain unclear.
Their study surveyed 360 participants who compared statements from imaginary co-workers who just returned from a conference. Participants rated their imaginary co-worker on likability, competence and the likelihood they would help the co-worker at work. the stress-bragging colleague described the conference as “just one more thing on my full plate. And I was already stressed to the max … you have no idea the stress that I am under.”
“This is a behavior we’ve all seen, and we all might be guilty of at some point,” Jessica Rodell, lead author of the study and a professor of management in UGA’s Terry College of Business, told UGA Today. “When I was wondering about why people do this, I thought maybe we are talking about our stress because we want to prove we’re good enough. We found out that often backfires.”
“When somebody is constantly talking about and bragging about their stress, it makes it seem like it is a good thing to be stressed,” Rodell added. “It just spills over onto the co-worker next to them. They wind up feeling more stressed, which leads to higher burnout or withdrawal from their work. Think of it as this spiraling contagious effect from one person to the next.”
So, if you really are stressed and overworked, try not to complain about this to everyone lest you be accused of busy bragging. Instead, try and find just one or two people to talk to about it, specifically people who are not co-workers.
