Clocking in on the job should mean you get to go to work, complete your tasks, and come home without taking the stress of the day with you. Unfortunately, this idea is simply an unachievable ideal for many workers, especially if you’re feeling productivity at an all-low.
Many workers take on the brunt of additional job duties and managing new tasks on top of their already overflowing regular ones. If your company is going through a business transition and you find yourself overwhelmed with extra work, you probably feel it’s hard to shut off when it’s time to go home.
Fortunately, your work slump doesn’t have to stay that way, and with a few tips, you can find yourself managing the workload and clocking out without the stress. Here are a few tips to help your stressful day feel lighter.
Batch Work
Having a workflow automation and seeing tasks completed can feel impossible when looking at a large inbox and pile of to-dos. It may feel like the best thing to do is work on your older requests in order and handle your workload as it comes. Many people don’t understand that if you’re bouncing between different tasks, your quality of work will slump, as will the time you get it completed.
Why is this? Well, it has a lot to do with the human brain and multitasking. In theory, multitasking seems like a great idea because you can get different items completed simultaneously, right? But in truth, you’re just slowing your ability to hyperfocus because you’re switching between various tasks back and forth.
One of the best ways a worker can manage large workloads is to batch work. This simply means you set out a chunk of time in your day for each similar task and work only on those items. When the time is up, you move on to the next group of tasks. Because your brain can focus on the same type of work for a period of time, you’ll be getting through it quicker.
Limit Distractions
You’ve probably heard this one before, but limiting distractions can boost your productivity to a new level. It’s easy not to realize how quickly you can become distracted and lose time. Before you start your work day, try and think about the things that will distract you and move them away from your view.
This means limiting or hiding your smartphone completely while completing tasks. If you find yourself distracted while working by a window, change your seating arrangement. Whatever that distraction is, get rid of it while you’re working. You’ll be surprised how quickly things get completed when your attention is pulled in multiple directions.
Have Realistic Goals
Having a list longer than you’ll ever get through will do more harm than good. Take time to set realistic goals for the day and week. Group easy tasks and similar items. Block your time and calculate what is actually achievable for you to finish in a day.
When you set a large to-do list that has no way of getting accomplished, you will add to your already mounting stress. Stress does no one any good and can play a huge role in how well you can focus. Do yourself a favor and evaluate your workload honestly.
Communicate Honestly
Sometimes there’s just no way you can realistically manage the workload placed on your shoulders. Be honest with your manager and communicate with them. Your supervisor won’t be able to fix the situation if you don’t have open communication with them.
Taking on large tasks on top of your already full load can be a hard hit to anyone’s productivity. Fortunately, you’re not alone, and with a few intentional changes, you can manage your time and complete your work duties better than ever before. Take time to limit your distractions and batch work similar tasks. Have realistic goals for what you can achieve, and always communicate honestly.
