Remember - you choose how to use your time - sometimes it might not seem like it, when other people are constantly making demands on your time but if you really want something, you'll find the time to get it done.
Assess whether everything you have on your 'To-do' list really is something that only you can do. You're possibly taking on too much or accepting work that is actually someone else's responsibility.
How does each task contribute to your financial, emotional and physical wellbeing or how much of it is just 'stuff'?
It's very easy to be busy being busy and get distracted from where you actually need to make progress.
At regular intervals ask yourself:
"Is this the best use of my time?"
How long will each task take? If necessary write it down against each task on your list. This is another way to help you realise that you simply don't have enough hours in your day or week to do everything.
Be aware that we have a tendency to oversimplify
tasks and underestimate how long they'll actually take, especially when you take into account the number of distractions and interruptions that occur throughout the day, which means things take twice as long.
Delegate - which tasks could someone else do quicker, easier and more effectively than you? Which are part of your core roles and responsibilities and which have you potentially had dumped on you or picked up because no one else will do
them?
Push-back - don't automatically and blindly accept everything. Say no, particularly if you're already overwhelmed. You don't have the capacity and resources to take on anything more.
Prioritise - what's important, which tasks need to be done first or are the most urgent or critical. If you're constantly firefighting (working on the urgent), you need to find a way to prevent them becoming urgent in the first place and then to work on them when
they're important, so that they don't escalate.
Group similar tasks together - it's quicker and more efficient to do several similar tasks at the same time rather than scattered randomly throughout the day e.g. phone calls, email.
Dump - tasks that don't contribute to immediate results or your longer-term goals.
Go offline - take yourself out of circulation for a couple of hours or even for a whole day. No unplanned interruptions (close the office
door), no phone calls (unless they're urgent), no emails (unless planned), no social media. See how much you get done and how much more productive you are without these distractions and interruptions.
Give me a call - if you're feeling overwhelmed and would like to discuss ways in which you can get back in control and reduce your workload.
A brief 30 minute chat could make all the difference.
"Image courtesy of coward_lion] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net".
