In our daily lives, we all go through phases when we have too much on our plate. We begin to worry if we can complete everything on time. This worry itself adds excessively to our stress. At times we’re able to complete it all, at times we mess up. Either way, it isn’t a great experience. This article will walk you through certain techniques to handle the excessive workload, be it as a student or as a working professional.
Task lists. We all know what they are, but are we using them effectively? How to make and utilize task lists in such a manner that it actually streamlines our work and at the same time reduces stress.
How to effectively create a task list:
Step 1 - Create a list of everything that needs to be done
Step 2- Assign a deadline to everything on the list
Step 3- Assign an expected time required to complete each task on the list
Only after steps 1-3 can you prioritize items from your task list, otherwise it will not be effective
Step 4 - Create a priority order of items on your task list based on the above and the relative importance of each task
How to effectively utilize a task list:
You need to now plan your day (or week) based on the priority order you’ve created and the estimated time it will take for each task. Assign different parts of your day for different items on that list. Also account for food and breaks.
One important factor to keep in mind here is to account for your relative productivity at different times of the day. Slot tasks that require you to actively think vs. tasks which are more repetitive based on when you are proactive vs. when you are lazy.
Another trick you can use is, to slot activities which you are very interested in during your lazy periods, so that your interest levels can compensate and overcome your laziness.
How to reduce the associated stress levels:
At times we feel that there is just too much work, that we may not be able to complete it. Even as we work, we are thinking of what all is left to do and it stresses us out even further. A technique you can use here is to break your tasks into smaller chunks. If the current task in front of you seems too daunting or too big to complete, break it down into smaller pieces. Each small piece in itself will not seem as daunting or stressful. The key here is to focus on just the small part of the task you are currently working on and not think about everything else that is left to be done.
You have now seen a few techniques to effectively make task lists and how you can break down larger activities into smaller units to reduce the stress. Try out these techniques for yourself and see how they work. Just bear in mind that you shouldn’t be very rigid with the schedule you create. Be flexible and keep adapting your schedule based on how well it is working for you.
If you have any more questions regarding managing workload and stress, drop them in the comments below. You can also sign up for a one-on-one session on performance enhancement.
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