Post-pandemic adjustments have led many individuals to demand the eradication of unnecessary stress, especially at the workplace. It’s giving the mind and the body no favors. Time management is the culprit, as determined by researchers.
According to Management Library, an online resource for business professionals, there are six significant causes of workplace stress. And, you’ll notice that the theme of time dominates the list.
- Poor planning
- Feeling overwhelmed with tasks
- Not enjoying the job
- Conflicting demands
- Lack of resources
- Not feeling appreciated
To combat the irritability, fatigue, and lack of focus associated with stress-inducing conditions, consider the following techniques to take back your time and whittle down your workplace stress one task at a time.
- Declutter your mind with a calendar. Where can you find accountability, prioritizing, and record-keeping all in one effort? Writing down your goals will make you 1.4 times more likely to succeed, says a researcher for calendar.com. Writing sends a signal to your brain to focus. Placing your to-dos in a calendar can help you see and sort priorities. Lists can become too bulky and may not take time into account, robbing the structure a calendar provides.
- Get serious about prioritizing tasks. It matters. Have you tried the Eisenhower Matrix? It’s a task management tool that helps you organize and prioritize tasks by urgency and importance. Divide your tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance. Where they land will tell you whether to do, schedule, delete or delegate tasks. To learn more about the history of the method and how to incorporate it into your daily routine, click here.
- Do not be afraid of DO NOT DISTURB. What part of the day are you the most productive? In the morning? Block off time in your calendar to tackle your top-tier priorities. And, don’t forget to let your coworkers know that you do not wish to be disturbed. Communication is half the battle, and a warning is fair.
- Flex your delegating muscles. Effective delegation will free up time for you. Not a leader in your organization yet? That’s okay. Try to delegate tasks in your personal life to get comfortable asking for help.
- Become a meeting master. Statistics don’t have to tell you that some meetings can waste your time due to poor planning and, more importantly, facilitating. Take time to learn management skills. A good place to start is to have an agenda or hot topics for every encounter that involves more than yourself.
- Champion the small wins. They add up. Like experts recommend starting your day off by making your bed to get you going, you can set yourself up for a productive day or end your day to make your next day even more productive. Try cleaning up your workspace or even your desktop. Close browser tabs and sort desktop files. Take a look at your calendar for the next day so that you are prepared and can adjust accordingly. Are you tackling too much? Are your goals for tomorrow realistic? Delete, adjust and communicate to the parties involved. If you spend 10-12 minutes planning your day, you’ll save up to two hours that would have otherwise gone to waste.
- Rule your emails. Don’t let them rule you. Researchers find that it takes about 23 minutes to get back on track after checking email. Why not reserve one or two times daily to check your inbox instead of constantly throughout the day. You can even divide your emails into piles. Perhaps, read now, handle now and read later.
Although studies show that an overwhelming workload causes 46 percent of stress reported amongst employees in the US, you can get it under control.
Managing your time and doing small things can chart your productivity success.
Did you know that project management is the foundation of sound agency operations and good work? Let Glint pass along our tips and tricks to managing your day, week, and month. Click here, and let’s chat.
Want to know more about managing your time better to reduce stress?
Listen to the Glint Standard Podcast.
Watch the Glint Standard Vidcast.
