Does merely thinking about all of the things you need to paralyse you at work? You’re not the only one. Feeling panicked about a challenging workload is one of those daily dilemmas we can all identify with but now is the time to make a change. From making the most of your mornings to learning how to say know, we’ve rounded up the top five tips for tackling that workload head on and staying calm in the process.
Make the most of your mornings: Does the constant sound of your phone ringing or the sight of emails a big interruption in your day? Well now’s the time to make the most of your mornings. Getting the office just half an hour earlier will give you a solid stint of time to get a head start on those tasks that you struggle to get through during working hours where people are vying for your attention. It also means you start the day with some of the more demanding tasks out of the way.
Research shows that it takes 28 days of repetition to form a habit, so if you’re not a morning person, give yourself a month to find a rhythm. We promise you’ll thank us in the long run.
Make a conscious effort to have a technology free morning from the time you get up in the morning to the time you get the office too. Just allowing yourself to have a clear mind, avoiding emails that could potential stress you first thing will make a big difference. For the past year I’ve made a point to use my commute to work as a reading time. Especially on the way home it allows me to stop thinking of work and distress by the time I get home.
Take action and plan: The benefits of planning your day are obvious but the most effective people are those who plan a week in advance. Sometimes looking at your time on a day-to-day basis will leave you feeling overwhelmed and like there aren’t enough hours in the day. Planning casually on a Sunday allows you to look at all of the appointments you have for the whole week in order to see what day is best to complete certain tasks. You may have a breakfast meeting on Monday and a Pilates class that requires you to leave on time that day but may have a free day to spend in the office on Tuesday. Looking at your week like that will allow you to schedule to do small tasks you can quickly cram in and get done on a Monday, leaving Tuesday for those tasks that require more time and focus.
It also gives you a chance to look at your week in terms of the way you work. For example, you might be more focused on a Monday than you are on a Friday so, after listing the things you need to achieve for the week, you might allocate easier tasks to Fridays when you’re more likely to be tired and drained from the week. Planning like this will allow you to start the week feeling confident that you have an action plan in place to ensure that you end the week on a good note. That alone will help in taking the anxiety out of a starting a new working week.
This all comes with a big but – you have to be realistic. While setting goals is a great first step, there’s no point setting a schedule that unfeasible because it’s a sure fire way to knock your confidence if you’re unable to stick to it. Be realistic about what you can and can’t achieve and how long it takes you to complete certain tasks.
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but it could be having a real impact on the quality of the work you’re producing and the speed you’re completing it.
Never under estimate the power of taking even a 10-minute break away from the office. Even the shortest break will help restore sanity and calm. Why not take your iPad and catch up on that episode you missed from your favourite show as you sit and have lunch. Better still, on those days you can get a full hour off, exercise is the perfect way to give your brain a digital detox and focus your energy on something entirely different. Making evening plans is a great way to diffuse the stresses of the day too and it’s always good to have something to look forward to.
Just say ‘no’
When faced with additional projects your schedule won’t allow for, learn how to say no graciously and diplomatically. With all the will in the world, taking on work on top of a challenging workload will only leave you feeling more overwhelmed and will deflate your confidence if you’re not able to complete it to the standard you would like.
Saying no from the beginning will save your boss from encountering problems later on down the line if you’re unable to deliver adequately and they’ll respect you in the long run for doing so. It’s better to do the fundamental tasks 100 per cent than over committing and doing everything halfheartedly. Show willing by offering alternatives or suggest amending the time frame in order to meet your boss’s expectations.