What do you do if your workload is overwhelming and deadlines are looming?

1) apply the rule of Calculus to your real life. Steven Strogatz explain this in his book, infinite power. Divide and conquer. 2) Divide your day into 3 hour shifts 3) energy is highest in the start - do all of your high level thinking tasks then. Keep the ones that require less Brian power for the evening 4) Use techniques like Deep Work and Pomodoro to accomplish more!

Before we keep ploughing through the workload, it is important to reflect on what is changing. The business is complex and continuously reinventing itself to cater to client needs. In this environment, the leaders must reevaluate whether the problem that arose yesterday continues to be the most urgent today. We should be able to make some hard decisions to pause/stop/accelerate our work. Having a structured, comprehensive prioritization process is great for quarterly and annual planning. But we need something (combination of gut instinct, clear communication, business acumen, quick decision making, strong network) to prioritize on the go. We should break massive initiatives into smaller actions that can be paused/stopped as at any point.

Dealing with overwhelming amount of work specially within limited time frame can be stressful. What I found helpful is to make a list and then to prioritize them. This calms me down because it gives me a guideline to follow and assures that all the critical tasks will be done with time given the focus. And, more I progress through the works in the list, the feeling of accomplishment helps me advance more.

Ao enfrentar uma carga de trabalho intensa e com prazos apertados, recorro a estratégias de gerenciamento de tempo e priorização de tarefas avaliando a urgência e importância das demandas. Em seguida, divido as tarefas em etapas menores e estabeleço metas realizáveis para cada uma delas. Nesse caso, manter o foco é imprescindível para uma boa produtividade. Outro ponto é saber buscar apoio adicional ou recursos que possam facilitar a conclusão das tarefas dentro dos prazos. E sempre alinhar as expectativas com os interessados. A flexibilidade e adaptabilidade são de extrema importância nesses casos. Acredito que a capacidade de manter a calma sob pressão é uma valiosa aliada para encontrar soluções eficazes em ambientes desafiadores.

Establish priorities based on impact. High-impact, time-sensitive tasks should take precedence. This often means setting aside less critical tasks temporarily or reassigning them.

Determine which tasks are critical. Focus on what moves the needle the most, addressing high-impact activities before others to maximize the effectiveness of your effort.

I’ve definitely benefited from the Eisenhower matrix: - prioritise tasks that are important and urgent; - delegate tasks that are less important but urgent; - plan to complete tasks in future that are important but less urgent; - avoid tasks that are not important and not urgent. It’s important to be realistic with what you can achieve; I try to aim for 3 productive tasks in a day, aside from meetings which are tasks in themselves! I try to be flexible and self compassionate, recognising that urgent jobs may come up that need to be addressed immediately, and that some jobs take longer than expected to complete. Both can significantly change the plan for the day and therefore impact the week; the plan just needs to be adjusted accordingly.

-Prioritize task. -the task which are need specific skill set , assign to specific team members. -delegate task that are less important. -Proper review mechanism. -Regular communication and feedback. -take action as per feedback.

Implement robust time management strategies. Use tools like time-blocking to dedicate specific hours to tasks based on their urgency and importance, ensuring a balanced approach to workload distribution.

When faced with overwhelming workload and looming deadlines, prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance. Break down projects into smaller, manageable tasks to tackle them effectively, utilizing tools like Trello or Asana for task organization. Use time-blocking techniques with tools like Google Calendar to allocate dedicated time slots for each task. Avoid multitasking and focus on one task at a time to maintain productivity. Take regular breaks to prevent burnout and maintain mental clarity. Communicate with supervisors or team members if additional support or extension is needed to meet deadlines.

La gestión y la planificación de actividades en razón de las prioridades habla de una correcta gestión del tiempo. Hay que tener bastante claridad sobre las actividades que desencadenan algo de relevante importancia para diseñar planificación en base a objetivos claros

Allocate specific time blocks for tasks. This organization of time can prevent the paralysis often caused by an overwhelming workload.

Empower team members by delegating tasks aligned with their skills. Trusting your team to handle parts of the workload can significantly reduce bottlenecks.

Make sure that you are clear about the objective and expectations before delegating. Discuss with the team member you are delegating to, if they have the capacity and ensure they feel empowered to take on the new task. Discuss a communication plan so you are being updated on the status of the project and providing guidance and support.

Trust in the capabilities of your team and distribute tasks accordingly. Delegation not only lessens your load but also empowers others, contributing to team development.

I agree as I have stated this in my previous comment delegating duties will give more flexibility so as to complete bogus tasks without errors

One thing I find helpful as employee but what also helped me as a manager is transparency about workload and capacity. Be honest with your manager and your colleagues and let them know what stresses you and why you need assistance, without complaining. Rather provide a possible solution like extending deadlines or delegating tasks.

Never hesitate to ask for help. Whether it’s requesting additional resources or simply seeking advice, support can come from many quarters—upward, downward, or laterally within an organization.

Somos comunidad, trabaja como una! Re-negocia algunos tiempos de entrega según necesidad, te sorprenderá ver que no eran tan urgentes como creías!

Reach out for help when needed. Whether it’s for additional resources or to renegotiate deadlines, communicating your needs can provide necessary relief and support.

When you have multiple deadlines looming and carry out a reality assessment, often some of the deadlines have flexibility for extension. Consider that and do not hesitate to ask for such extensions accompanied by proper justifications. It should not be a habit. To begin with, be involved where possible in the determination of timelines which affect you. You know the realities of your work better.

1. Take a deep breath 2. Prioritize tasks by importance, delegate, and tackle easy tasks first 3. Create a plan with assigned responsibilities and a schedule 4. Be flexible with the plan, adjusting as needed 4. Consider your preferred work style for efficiency 5. Incorporate breaks and short pauses into your schedule. Maintain physical and mental well-being with adequate hydration, nutrition, and rest. A tired mind is a less productive and creative one.

If one has done all he has to do making sure to meet up with deadline yet feels overwhelmed, take a time out and reassess the situation again by creating more robust control strategies in solving the issue.

Keeping stakeholders informed, maintaining a factual communication strategy, taking breaks to recharge, and remaining committed to your objectives can turn a high-pressure situation into a testament to your leadership’s efficacy. If feasible, negotiating for extended deadlines may be prudent, but if not, it’s about going the extra mile without compromising the team’s well-being.