Written by: Aileen Carson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Many of us have jobs where we’re so busy that we never seem to have time to breathe. Constant demands on our time, being pulled in all directions by our teams, managers or customers, and juggling so many priorities can make us feel as though we’re constantly firefighting.
Does this sound like you? If it does, there are actions you can take to prevent the stress from building up until you feel overwhelmed.
Take a break
First of all, take a step back. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when your team needs you and you’re under pressure from all sides. It can be difficult to step away from your work, but you can’t think clearly if you’re constantly busy. Even a short break from your work will help you think more clearly and figure out what you need to do. You will achieve less if you keep trying to push through when you’re worn out.
Prioritise
Then prioritise your most important tasks. Work out what really needs to get done today and what can wait until tomorrow or next week. Not everything is as urgent as it seems. If your colleagues or manager are constantly wanting something from you, check to see how urgent it actually is. People often claim tasks are urgent when they can wait.
Delegate
You might have been wanting to delegate work to other members of staff, but have assumed that everyone in your team is as overwhelmed as you. Stop and ask yourself if this is true. Some people are good at looking busier than they actually are. Once you know for sure how busy people really are, you’ll be able to see who can take on more without being overloaded.
Be present
Stay in the present moment. Although looking ahead helps you plan, worrying about what might happen tomorrow or next week or next month won’t help. Take some deep breaths and focus on what you’re doing right now until you feel calmer. Thinking about the future or the past will distract you and make you less productive, but being present will keep you on track.
Self-care
Look after yourself. You can’t support your team or yourself if you’re running on empty. Find things you enjoy doing and have something to look forward to when you finish work at the end of the day. Making sure you have time for yourself isn’t selfish. It’s essential as you can’t be effective if you’re exhausted or overwhelmed.
Speak out
Don’t suffer in silence. Talk to a friend, trusted colleague (they might be feeling the same way) or to your manager. Sometimes talking to someone removed from the situation can help, such as a coach, who will listen without judgement and help you form a plan to move forward.
Above all, be aware of the effects of constantly firefighting. Not only can this affect your physical and mental health, but it can also make you feel as though you’re not doing a good job. You might tell yourself that you’d be able to cope if you were better at your job while conveniently forgetting all the extra hours you’ve worked or the relentless tasks that keep building up.
If you start to feel you’re not good enough, remind yourself that your beliefs about yourself are simply beliefs. Ask yourself if there is any truth in them or whether you’re so consumed with your work that you’ve lost sight of your own ability. There’s a high chance it’s the latter. Don’t criticise yourself for feeling as though you’re not good enough when you’re dealing with issues or a workload that anyone would find difficult.
Finally, don’t forget to celebrate your achievements. It might feel as though you’re not achieving anything if you’re constantly exhausted, but coping with huge levels of stress while getting your job done is an achievement in itself.
Aileen Carson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Aileen Carson is a professional coach who specialises in helping managers find ways of reducing stress and avoiding burnout to help them gain clarity on the next steps of their career.
Aileen works with people who are unclear about where their career is heading as they are under constant pressure to achieve results. She helps them work out strategies to deal with stress so they can focus on their career ambitions.
Aileen’s own career transitions and personal experience of burnout have given her valuable insight that feeds into her coaching work. Her previous clients have learnt to recognise their own needs, improve their wellbeing, work out their next career moves, recognise the signs of burnout, increase their confidence and improve their leadership skills.
