• ALCS Admin

"My plate is full...": How to Survive it all.

Updated: Apr 17, 2018

Don't allow regular day-to-day tasking to get your goat. Having a To-Do List whether planned or not is better than having no agenda in place at all. But how do you survive it all? How do you become productive when items continue to pile on you?

Do this...

Read that...

Run this...

Sign that...

Sound familiar?

“Do you often find yourself being buried underneath several daily tasks that all appear to have the same deadlines? From performing the acrobatics of managing life chores, the office and personal care (Personal Care! What? Is there such a thing?), juggling all of these tasks can take a major toll on you if left unmanaged.”

Let's be real about it for a moment. No athletic team, goes against their opponent without first having in place what could be their key to victory or a possible championship and that key is a knowledgeable and a well-experienced coach. So, who's the coach in your life? YOU ARE KIDDO. Yeah that's right? You are your first order of leadership and coaching. The decisions you make and the steps you take to get a grip on your everyday tasks whether it be business or personal starts with YOU.

Under The Pressure

Don't fret for there is a way out. Planning and prioritization is inevitable if you want to survive and get back to doing the things that bring you the most satisfaction. Stay ahead of the game and on top of the load. Set personal goals for each day and also expectations within each day. What you don't complete becomes your next days priority. The idea is that you keep things in motion.

Mirror! Morior!

Sluggardness can be the death of you and possibly your career and/or relationships if you are not careful. So, be honest with yourself and perform a self evaluation to determine what you can do to improve your situation. Don't be afraid to seek out others for feedback. Yeah, this will require you to be open to constructive criticism from others so don't take offense to their honesty which could be the golden nugget to your advancement. I personally value those in my circle who "give it to me straight". Ask questions like, "How am I helpful to you as a teammate or partner?" or "Are there areas that I can improve that would be most helpful to our working/personal relationship?" Even before you get to this step, it's very possible that you already know these answers before you even ask the questions. You just need to take heed to the warning signs and having someone confirm your suspicions is definitely a good start. Remember, being honest with yourself upfront is very key.

Now What?

Plan your work and work your plan.

Now that you have a handle on where to start, make your plan work for you and not the other way around. Set SMART timelines for each task. (S=Specific, M=Measurable, A=Achievable, R=Relevant, T=Time Limited**). Keep communication lines open with all parties involved along the road to completion.

Take A Break

Of course you deserve a break. This is where most creativeness and recharged enthusiasm is born. I was a worker-bee in the office. I'd often work through my lunches or skip them altogether believing that I would accomplish more. Of course, on the outer surface it appeared that I was being more productive however, I was burning the midnight oil even during the day because I would not give myself the needed break and time to refresh my thoughts. Repeated episodes of work overload can drain you and you may find yourself deprived of your creative juices and energy needed to survive from day-to-day. Stepping away from your tasks, disconnecting from people, electronics and social media, taking a brisk walk or a mind cleansing drive along a country road could do wonders for your psyche. It all simmers down to how valuable you are to yourself and others whether it be your teammates and most importantly, your loved ones.

**Contact us to learn more about these Task Management Techniques and other resourceful Corporate Training topics by emailing ALCInfoBox@gmail.com.

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