Reduce Your Workload

Everyone is so busy at work. We say "yes"to superiors because we want to please them. But when eventually we take on too much and can't continue, we let them down, we become stressed out and we feel guilty. Here's a terrific way to reduce your workload and your stress levels:

When a superior asks you to do a new urgent task;

1. Say that you've no problem doing the new task but remind them that you are working on other projects that they've already identified as top priorities. Managers are very busy people. It's possible that your boss has forgotten the many other things they've already asked you to do today.

2. Ask your boss for help in deciding where the new task should fall on the list of priorities – which do they want you to do first? This takes the pressure off you. If your boss says put another task on the back-burner, it's their decision not yours and you're in the clear if it's a bad judgement call.

3. Point out that you might be able to do everything, but not to the usual high standards that are expected.

If it's really urgent your boss will reallocate either the new task or one of your existing to a colleague with a lower workload. This takes the pressure off you!