Too much work to do in too little time is a common workplace complaint.
Managers want to get the best bang for their buck, so they often intentionally assign an unrealistic workload hoping that their employees will rise to the occasion.
Many years ago, when I was in sales, we had to achieve unrealistic sales call quotas. I often made 90 sales calls in a single day.
When I went into HR and training, I was a department of one for many years, so I understand the pressure and stress of too much to do in too little time.
One answer is to work all the time, ten- or twelve-hour days six, even seven days a week, but the overtime solution sustained over time is a recipe for burnout, stress, and fatigue.
Instead, try these simple solutions:
- Make a to-do list. As simple as this sounds, if you begin each day by listing the tasks and goals for your day, you will be far ahead of most of your coworkers. As you achieve each goal, mark it off.
- Prioritize – do the hard, unpleasant, complicated, or time-consuming tasks first.
- Delegate – if it is possible to do so, ask for help.
- Go for a walk. You may be faced with a problem for which there is no obvious solution. If that is the case, take a break, go for a walk, get your endorphins flowing. Most of the time, the answer will come to you as you walk. Oh, and be sure to carry a notepad and pen or recording device so you can record your solution the moment it presents itself.
Try these solutions today and see how they work for you.
I hope you find that they make your day less stressful and more productive and fulfilling.
Take care,
David Dellman
