Are you buckling under the weight of an overwhelming workload? If so, you are not alone. We are living in a time of extreme overwork, and studies show that it has created a global crisis of burnout.
So, what do we do? Just buckle down and continue to work extended hours trying to tackle everything flying at us, even if we burn out in the process? Or is there a better way to navigate our extreme workloads?
Since the challenges of disruption and uncertainty are here for the foreseeable future, we have to find ways to restore our energy and motivation while we ride the waves of change. When the world feels out of control, Consider that you don’t have to wait for a vacation, or for the project to be done. Instead a couple of small tweaks today can make a big difference to restoring your ‘mojo’.
The challenge for most people is actually sticking to that time and using it to get the intended project work done. How often have you blocked off time in your schedule to work on the big projects, but when that time rolls around, you find yourself doing anything but the task at hand. Instead, you sit there staring at the screen, migrate over to your email box or slack to get “a few little things done”, decide now is the time to rearrange your pencil drawer, or scroll your news feed one more time–anything to avoid the dreaded task.
What are the biggest time management challenges people face at work today? Back to back meetings. Overwhelming workloads. No time to think. The boundaries between our work and personal lives have disappeared and burnout is rampant.
As the world continues to navigate the biggest disruption to the workplace since the industrial revolution, the question many leaders are asking is: how do we leverage this moment to create a better workplace? One that attracts and retains top talent, creates a space to produce exceptional work, and cultivates wellbeing?
Technology can be a huge boost to productivity, but it can also be a drain. Let's be honest. Our devices take up a lot of our time. Consider how much of that screen time actually nurtures our goals and wellness? Then think about quality time with family and friends and how crucial those relationships are to keeping our work-life balance.
I think I speak for most of us when I say it has been an exhausting past few years. All of us have experienced so much upheaval and uncertainty in both our personal and professional lives that many of us are suffering from burnout. Medical professionals define burnout as a response to prolonged stress that leaves you feeling emotionally and physically drained and exhausted. If you find yourself constantly fatigued, emotionally numb, and unable to keep up with life’s incessant demands, you may be suffering from burnout.
Do you crave time to do your deep thinking work during the work day, and not on nights and weekends? Too often workdays are filled with demands for back to back meetings, dozens of emails, IM’s and slack messages–that our days feel out of our control. Even when you set aside time to think, you are likely to give it away. Yet, investing time in strategic planning, writing, innovation, process improvement, or learning helps us shift from reactive to proactive. And go from working hard, to working smart.
While having a bustling schedule may be a necessary part of your role, it can also leave you in a state of stress. Everyone has had that moment when they struggle to pivot and make schedule arrangements when something inevitably changes for the week. Unfortunately, these sudden changes can leave you in a constant state of anxiety that can impact your work and keep you from focusing during your downtime.
