Time Management

Personal Priority and Time Management Series for Business

Overwhelmed? You're Not Alone

Trying to balance your personal and professional responsibilities, while maintaining some kind of reasonable schedule, is hard work these days. Who isn't juggling a dozen balls, and wearing a closet full of hats?


[ 2005-09-06 ]

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Many of us find ourselves continuously jumping to put out fires and wondering where the day went. All too often 18 hours of the day pass by and we're lucky to get five or six hours of real work done.

Feeling overwhelmed seems to be the norm and finding a way to manage workplace time is a primary goal for most of us. Experts agree that once you figure out what your priorities are for specific time frames, you will be able to concentrate on the tasks at hand. This is especially true for managing your workplace time effectively.

Following the tips listed below will help keep you organized and reduce time-oriented anxiety.

1. Consider the time of day you are most productive and efficient. Concentrating on challenges that require that extra "brain power" during peak performance hours will give you the boost you need to get the task at hand completed.


2. When possible, close your office door. Forward your phone, and lock yourself away where you can concentrate. If interruptions or other people make it impossible to immerse yourself in a project or activity, set aside time to deal with those issues first thing in the morning. Give team members a chance to ask questions and outline their agendas for the day. By including others in your goals, and providing clear times for when you will be available to address the unexpected or issues raised by others, you can almost schedule "interruptions".

3. Develop a routine that co-workers can trust and follow. Even a simple routine that gives them stability will strengthen relationships and simplify tasks. Routine that might seem dull and tedious in the beginning can keep individuals and groups following outlined tasks.

4. Remember that you cannot be all things to all people. Practice saying the word "no" and learn that as much as you think you are indispensable, somehow the work will get done, with our without you. Polite responses with firm boundaries should be set so patterns that are not working are broken. If you are always the one to organize company social activities try to pass this responsibility on to some one else. Try "I have really enjoyed this position and am willing to hand over the reins and give someone else a chance".

5. Decide on a scale of 1-10 what is really urgent. (1- not urgent and 10- the most urgent). If you rate everything that comes across your desk a 10 on the urgency chart, you are creating panic and stress that turns what should be well-thought out decisions into knee jerk re-actions. Write a list of what you perceive as urgent. Decide ahead of time how you will deal with a situation and as the challenges arise adopt a formula that works for you.

6. Develop a preventative maintenance program for problem solving. If you have a knack for putting out fires, turn that skill into a unique ability to plan ahead and have contingency plans for all possible scenarios. Prepare yourself for conflict, put procedures in place, and teach others to handle situations that arise instead of always having to solve them yourself.

7. If a feeling of being overwhelmed takes over and your productivity is at an all time low, stop. If you can leave the situation and go for a walk do it. If you cannot leave your office, close the door, turn off the computer monitor, and gather your thoughts. A ten minute cool down or pep talk will be the saving grace before a melt down or blow-up. Consider the repercussions that anger and stress will have on those in your office if you don't take the time to calm down



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