You are not alone if you are handling more work and stress than you expect workers in your position to handle. It is the story of employees all over the world. There’s nothing to be gained by pining over it, but the thing that we need to do is come to grips with the situation and develop habits to make the workload bearable.
So, we need to change some habits, may be develop new ones, or take a fresh look at the way we manage our work. The primary areas to focus on in developing strategies for handling increasing workloads involve, work prioritisation, time management, delegation, and skill development. All of these are interrelated and interdependent, however, rather than trying to approach the problem in a disorganised manner, it is helpful to chart out definite sectors to be addressed.
– Create a list and prioritise: Spending ten to fifteen minutes extra to list and prioritise your tasks either on a daily or weekly basis, or both ways, can save hours and help you keep from losing your job and even assist you to excel at it. First, categorise tasks in their order of importance. Then within those categories, prioritise with the thought of maximising returns and finish that task first that gives you the maximum returns against minimum investment. Set small hourly or daily targets, and you’ll find a great amount of stress disappearing. Another good outcome of this approach is that if you are checked upon by a superior any time, you have foolproof logic to answer what you are currently doing and why.
– Trimming the workload: After you have created your list and prioritised tasks according to categories, it will be obvious whether some of the work can be delegated or not. If proper team members are there who are suitable to handle the delegated work, then it is always prudent to lighten your immediate workload by delegating some of it either by the way of an order or a request for a favour. Beating deadlines without compromising on quality is the ultimate goal in the workplace. Use every available strategy to achieve that including postponing unessential work or altogether eliminating them.
– Create solutions: If traditional work flows and patterns are inadequate to take care of the workload than try to think up new ways to handle the job. Talk it out with your team and your superiors and take the lead.
– Be happy and healthy: Try to be consciously happy and healthy at all times. Do not give up on physical workouts or trying to love your work. All strategies at work will be fruitless if you do not feel happy and healthy. While it might sound difficult, one can, with a little concentration, discipline one’s mind to willingly embrace pretty disgusting things. It’s all in the mind, really.
– Be convinced that the situation will change, and you are not alone in handling doubled workloads: Right now, there are millions of people who envy you and would give almost anything to be where you are. It’s better to be in a tough job, than be jobless. Be happy with what you have.
So, be positive and start addressing your workload methodically and get rid of the pressure. Welcome work and display your abilities. Consider yourself fortunate for having the chance to work. You have to start checking things when you have no work on your hand, for it means you are not essential for your employer any more. [Article by Surajit Sen Sharma, www.jobsjournal.com]
