7 Productivity and Time Management Tips to Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed
If you’re anything like me, your to-do list can feel like a constant struggle.
Read on to learn how to keep on top of your tasks, while avoiding burnout at the same time.
It’s always the same story - You begin your week with all good intentions but, somewhere along the way, distractions come out of nowhere and you can easily begin to fall behind in your schedule. You end up feeling like you’ve “failed” despite feeling exhausted with the stress!
Clients with busy schedules, particularly when trying to balance work and home life, often make two BIG mistakes when writing a to-do list:
Setting unrealistic expectations. Because we feel we have so many things to do and they all feel important, we find ourselves writing everything down at once and attempting to do it all in the little time we have. We are setting ourselves up to feel overwhelmed and, inevitably, as though we’ve failed.
Not scheduling time for breaks. We are not task completing machines, we are human beings who need time to breathe, have some water or a snack, move around a bit… otherwise we give ourselves no opportunity to recharge and our work suffers for it!
So, how do we learn to plan our schedule mindfully? How do we not only complete our tasks, but complete them well and not wear ourselves out in the process?
Read on to find out!
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1. Plan for time and a half
When scheduling your tasks, always give yourself 1.5x the amount of time you think you’ll need for each one. This means you won’t feel as rushed and is normally a more realistic approach.
For example, you think it’ll take only 30 minutes to bring yourself up to speed with your emails? Plan for 45 minutes just in case Sandra from HR is skirting around her point just a bit too much!
2. To-done list
As I mentioned, unrealistic task scheduling may be accompanied with feeling like a failure. We might feel as though we wanted to get so much more done than we managed to and this can lead to berating ourselves and questioning our self worth.
This has the power to help you feel more accomplished and, as a bonus, can be a reference for your boss if they’re the sort to check in to see what you’ve been doing with your time.
Take a moment to write down every task you complete, no matter how small. You can even draw a checkbox next to each task so you’re able to physically tick it off - Never underestimate the power this holds.
For example:
Finished preparing for that meeting - Tick!
Went for a walk - Tick!
Answered that tricky email - Tick!
3. Take breaks
This might feel counterproductive to getting things done, but even 5 minutes every hour to do something away from screens can be enough to recharge you and make you even more productive when you return to work!
Here are some ideas of how to get the most out of your breaks:
Do some body stretches
Go for a walk (even just around the office will do!)
Drink a glass of water or an energy boosting smoothie
4. Categorise your tasks
When planning your time, add tasks to your schedule in the following order:
What you HAVE to do. These are plans that cannot be moved and are normally at set times - doctors appointments, meetings, picking up the kids from school…
What you'd LIKE to do. These are the things that you’d really like to make time for in your day - hobbies, catching up with a friend, going for a jog…
Any remaining tasks that could comfortably fit into your day. These are less urgent work tasks or life admin.
Categorising and arranging your tasks like this can make it so much easier to fit in the things that you enjoy amongst your priorities, allowing yourself to recharge and increase your motivation.
5. Tackle quick tasks first
Completing quick tasks first can be a very powerful way of boosting your motivation for the day. It feels so good to speedily strike a few things off your list without having to think too much. Need to send a short email? Do it now!
The follow on tip from this would be to then take on the most difficult task on your list. This means you’re dealing with it when you’re already feeling motivated, so you could find the task far less daunting at this stage.
6. Schedule a specific life admin break
How many times have you been hard at work on a task, only to catch sight of your phone displaying a new notification and suddenly you can’t concentrate on anything but that potentially awful photo you’ve just been tagged in? You are not alone.
Scheduling in a break that is specifically for social media or any other life admin can be a really effective way of avoiding distractions when you want to focus on work.
Oh, and to increase your chance of success with this tip - Try turning off all notifications while you work and putting the phone away. I know it sounds impossible, but you’ll thank yourself for it!
7. Plan for the following day
Finish your day by spending a few minutes planning for the next time you’re sat at your desk. What are your immovable plans for tomorrow? What would you really like to accomplish tomorrow and how can you block out some time for that, even if it’s only a few minutes?
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When managing our time, turning any of the above techniques into regular habits can help to prevent external stress getting the better of us and causing us to feel overwhelmed. At first, you’ll need to actively remind yourself to do these things but, over time, they will begin to feel natural and effortless, ultimately leading to a calmer and happier you.
If you’d like some more ideas of how to better handle stress and look after yourself with more care, patience and positivity, download the completely FREE Stress Less Toolkit below.
Why is this important?
What we’re trying to do with these time management techniques is to train ourselves to handle our day-to-day responsibilities in a healthier and more mindful way. Allowing ourselves the vital time we need to recharge.
Life will always throw distractions and unexpected events at us, but if we manage our time in a way that acknowledges this and works with it rather than against it, we can make ourselves more relaxed and resilient.
Next steps
Habit change around time management and productivity can feel difficult. Life can be so hectic sometimes that it’s hard to know where to begin.
Working with a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach can help you incorporate this and other tactics to ultimately decrease levels of stress and increase contentment in your life. Book a taster session today to get your personalised 5-point action plan to boost health and happiness.
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Let me know what you think and if you begin to feel healthier and happier by trying some of the tips in the Stress Less Toolkit!
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These are only some of the possibilities when it comes to time management and dealing with the stress it can cause. Find out which activities would be right for you by working with a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.