Too much to do, never enough time? Don’t panic - here are five strategies to try

Are you a leader juggling so many plates you’re considering a side job as an acrobat? Are you always rushing from one meeting to the next at the speed of an F1 racing driver without the pit crew? Do you feel overwhelmed by constant demands on your time and attention? 

You are not alone. A regular theme I hear time and time again working with leaders is, “I don’t have enough time; there always seems to be so much to do.” In a recent research by Workplace Health Report 2023, 73% of employees reported workload is the biggest cause of negative stress at work.

So, what can you do when feeling stressed with too much to do?

Don’t panic; here are some handy tips to support you to re-frame your thinking, focus on priorities and get proactive with your workload:

1. Give yourself a moment:  When your mind is in overload, it can impair your ability to think clearly and gain clarity. Giving yourself 20 minutes to clear your head will help you re-frame your mindset. Try going for a walk, meditating, or just getting out of the office and finding a quiet spot.
2. Get Proactive: when work gets on top of us, it can be easy to fall into a reactive way of behaving, always responding to other people’s requests. Flip your focus to being proactive by creating a to-do and don’t-do list

• What are your focus areas?
• What are your priorities in order of importance? 
• What is the stuff that can be delegated or thrown in the chuck-it bucket?

3. One task at a time: Contrary to popular belief, multitasking isn’t as efficient as it may appear. It will divide your attention, reduces productivity and can increase the likelihood of errors. Focus on one task at a time, complete it, and feel the satisfaction of ticking it off the to-do list, using that as motivation to move on to the next one.
4. Learn to say no: Saying yes to every request can spread you thin and leave little time for your priorities. Understanding your limits and being honest about them is essential for effective time management as well as leadership. 
5. Make time for fun: Taking time to have fun and look after your wellbeing will support you in maintaining your productivity, creativity and problem-solving. Psychologists Nale Lehmann-Willenbrook and Joseph Allen completed a research study of 352 employees across 54 teams, investigating the impact of humour on team performance and productivity. 

They found that teams who demonstrated humour were better at communication, problem-solving and performed better. Finding ways to bring a little humour and fun into your day will not only support you at work but can help with your daily dose of happy hormones. This could be as simple as watching five minutes of your favourite comedian to sharing a joke with a teammate.

If you want to explore how our FLIP-it Thinking programme could help you reframe your approach to time management, contact  Doug, a man of many talents: doug@laughology.co.uk - to learn more about how we can deliver a session online or in person. 

Louisa Rodriguez is one of Laughology’s New Kids on the Block. If you’re thinking 80’s boy band doing back flips and the running man, you wouldn’t be far off.  And her energy? Louisa would give Red Bull a run for their money. Mix this with her vast experience as a facilitator, coach and learning and development professional - and maybe a bandanna - and you’ve got her down to a tee.