Whether you work in a job where your have clear-cut, defined tasks or you are in the in-house “jack of all trades”, it is likely you will find yourself needing to do a little juggling at some point to ensure all the work gets done. This can lead to stress and worry as you may feel overwhelmed when tasks are piling up. Here are a few tips and tricks to ensure that you are able to not only complete all of your tasks, but complete them well.
Prioritize
While all your work is important, it may be more crucial to get some tasks done sooner than others. For example, if you have a deadline for an important project this week, giving your attention to this task may be more necessary than researching for a report that isn’t due until next month. Find ways to determine which tasks require immediate attention but be careful not to push off tasks indefinitely. Set aside a time when you can address the lower priority items at once so they don’t get left in the dust.
Assign Days to Recurring Tasks
If you have tasks that need to be done each week, assign each one a day of the week in which you will take time to complete it. Not only will this relieve yourself of stress by spreading out the tasks, but it will help to develop a habit that will make it more difficult for the tasks to be forgotten. Wednesdays just won’t feel right if you haven’t run that weekly report for your manager.
Set Reminders for Yourself
Many of us spend the day at a computer or in close proximity to our cell phones. Use these as tools to help you stay on task and complete your assignments. Calendars are a great way to do this, as you can also set reminders to go off and keep tasks at the forefront of your mind. You may need to only set one reminder or you may need several, but you will quickly figure out a system that works for you. This is also a great way to assign yourself deadlines to make sure you get everything done in a timely manner.
Use a To-Do List
Whether you like the satisfaction of crossing off an item with a pen or you prefer to be paperless with an app, a “to-do” list can be helpful in keeping track of your tasks. Many “to-do list” apps also include a deadline option you can attach to tasks in order to receive reminders.
Ask for Help
As you look at your lists of items that need to be done, you may run across some that require more than your own efforts. Consider your coworkers and their strengths to determine if there is someone either better suited to the task or who would be able to offer helpful insight or assistance. You will complete the task more efficiently, saving yourself time for the rest of your duties.
Be Aware of Your Max Load
Finally, there is no shame in recognizing when you have reached your capacity and are not able to take on more. If you find yourself getting to this point, take the time to have a conversation with your supervisor to determine if there is anything that can either be given to someone else or put off until a less stressful time. They will likely respect you for valuing the quality of your work enough to not sacrifice it in order to take on a heavier load than you handle.
