Under pressure, we tend to step up the pace to get more done and cut down on recuperation time. However, a constantly overloaded agenda can cause burnout or, at the very least, a negative impact on performance. How to remain productive in the long run?
Know your limits
-
Put the situation into perspective, e.g. What is really important? What would you refuse to sacrifice for your work?
-
Be attentive to your reactions to detect the warning signs of burnout: fatigue, irritation, decline in performance, etc.
Optimize your time
-
Ask yourself how important and urgent your projects are in order to manage your time more effectively, e.g. Try to negotiate deadlines on urgent, but non-critical tasks.
-
Schedule breaks into your agenda to recharge your batteries, e.g. Practice a sport, even if you must adapt your working hours.
Dare to ask for help
-
Don’t hesitate to refuse an interesting assignment that you don’t have time to manage, and ask for help from your colleagues if you are overloaded.
-
Try to delegate tasks when your direct involvement is not critical in order to optimize your time and to improve your concentration.
Take action
Make a note of the automatic thoughts that bring you stress (15 min)
Our impulses often tend to reinforce our stress rather than reduce it.
In the course of the day, make a note of the judgments that you formulate. This consists in identifying without any self-censorship “the little voice in your head”. E.g.: “he really doesn’t want to understand”; “if I accept this project, they will ask even more of me”; “she must have something against me, there is no other possibility”.
Take a step back. Which of these are objective facts, and which your own interpretation? Are there other possible explanations beside the one that first came to your mind? Could the current situation possibly have another outcome than the one you are imagining?
Reformulate your thoughts in a less stressful manner.
Block time slots for the “non-urgent important matters” (10 min)
There is nothing more frustrating than the inability to progress on essential subjects.
Identify an important subject that you continuously postpone despite your good will. Set up several “appointments with yourself” of one to two hours to progress on this subject. Block these time slots in your calendar.
Consider these timeslots as if they were important meetings. Close the door of your office, book a meeting room or show through a visible sign that you cannot be disturbed. Start on time, do not read your mails nor answer your phone, respect the planned duration.
Review progress at the end of each session and set your objectives for your next working session.
Reallocate your efforts (10 min)
We don’t always place our energy where it is the most useful.
Choose an activity that you must conduct in the coming days. If you only give it 80% of the planned time and energy, what would you do differently?
With this assumption, would you come as close as possible to the objective? What result could you reasonably aim for?
What is the inconvenience of not reaching the 100% of the initial objective? Is this inconvenience acceptable, given the time you can allocate to other activities?
Conseils pratiques
> Cope with stressful situations more effectively
> Get your priorities straight
Pour aller plus loin
> Giving your best without breaking down: Key behaviors
> Replacing time management with energy management
© Managéris