1. A method for executing a work request by a resource adapter by an application server, comprising: obtaining a work manager instance from a bootstrap context instance; creating a work instance by the resource adapter; submitting the work instance to a work manager in the application server, wherein the application server includes a pool of free threads available to service the submitted work instance; picking up one of the free threads by the work instance; calling a work method; notifying the resource adapter to prepare to release the thread executing the work instance; and calling a release on the work instance from a separate thread when the execution is completed.