How to Stay Productive Under Stress
Do you ever find yourself totally overwhelmed by the sheer number and complexity of projects that need to be completed at work each day? As the day flies by, do you often feel as if you have not paid enough attention to each task because other tasks keep landing on your desk, co-workers interrupt you with questions, or you cannot get it all organised? This time of year, especially, we are all trying to close off projects before the Christmas festivities begin. There is a feeling that you will not be able to truly unwind unless all those loose ends are tied up. But guess what? That imperative will make you even more stressed!
Feeling as though you have too much to do and not enough time to do it undoubtedly creates a significant amount of stress. Procrastinating, or wasting time on activities that are not a priority, can also result in increased stress, especially when these actions have consequences such as a missed deadline. The stress caused by a lack of time management can also lead to poor performance at work. Too much stress can lead to several health problems, creating a vicious circle of being too frazzled to be productive and effective in daily life.
So, one skill that can help with these pressures and problems of modern life is effective time management. Time management is an important part of a comprehensive stress management plan, but it is not something that many people find they can easily master. Yet anxiety and stress can be lessened with a good time management strategy in place. Managing your time effectively will help you get more done each day. And that is positive health benefits, too. By managing your time more wisely, you can minimise stress, improve your quality of life and be more present for colleagues, friends and family!
Another thing to remember is you do not have to do it all. There are some who think that by doing all tasks on any given project is somehow a noble pursuit that will get you noticed and move you up the ladder. Well, it does not; it demonstrates you lack the skills to delegate properly and are probably going to stuff up in the process. The fact is, whilst you may think you can do everything, you may not be doing everything as well – or as efficiently – as you think you are. It is important to take a step back and ask what you are doing that you could possibly delegate to someone else. Your stress levels rise as you contemplate a long, daunting to-do list, so mark off a few items by asking for help. If necessary, talk to your manager about delegating some of your workload to co-workers or new hires. You are not giving up power, and you are giving yourself less stress and making yourself more productive in the process.
This leads us to prioritising your workload. Do you notice how time-consuming but relatively unimportant tasks can consume a lot of your day? Prioritising tasks will ensure that you spend your time and energy on those that are truly important. You can rank tasks by importance or give each activity a grade. One system that I like, especially as a home-worker, is to give each activity a grade of A, B, C or D. “A”s are the most important and most urgent tasks on my list. “B”s are either less important or less urgent. “C”s are unimportant and not urgent and should either be done only when time allows or discarded completely. “D”s are tasks someone else can do and should be delegated. Try saying no to “C” tasks. Consider your goals and schedule before agreeing to take on additional work. Delegate the “D”s. Take a look at your to-do list and consider what you can pass on to someone else.
Also, there are certain topics or triggers that can stress you out and make you feel overwhelmed, and therefore unproductive. Therefore, avoid those topics and focus on things that help you stay relaxed and prevent you from getting irritated. Such as – stay away from negative people – do not associate with people who stress you out or have a constant negative attitude. If someone is negatively impacting your mental well-being, it is best to simply not hang out with them.
You have probably heard the expression, “Work smarter, not harder.” Managing your time properly is “working smarter.” You can be far more productive with less stress. When that happens, you will enjoy both your life at work and your life outside of work more. Managing your time will take some effort – but the benefits far outweigh that effort. Good luck!
