5 Ways to Avoid Overwhelm as a Leader
Many leaders will admit to feeling overworked and overwhelmed, at least some of the time. Usually the culprits are heavy workloads and a series of tight deadlines and demands. It’s not uncommon for leaders to experience times when they feel they’re losing their sense of control. Many also struggle to effectively cross manage their professional and personal lives.
The solution to combating the feeling of overwhelm is best sought within yourself and your own approach to your role as a leader rather than in software, apps, or devices. Here are 5 tactics for leaders to help them avoid overwhelm:
1. Effective management of the priority dilemma
The priority dilemma pits urgent tasks against important ones. Faced with limited time and attention, which items on your to-do list should you be focusing on? The Eisenhower Decision Principle espouses the fact that the important tasks are rarely urgent and the urgent ones are rarely important.
Adopting the Eisenhower Decision Matrix can help you to classify your tasks into four categories; important/urgent, not important/urgent, important/not urgent and not important/not urgent. The urgent/important tasks are usually awarded the highest priority since they require immediate attention and contribute towards your long-term goals.
It is advisable to invest considerable time working on your important/Not urgent tasks as these tend to be the most fulfilling and create a renewed sense of calm, control, and composure in your life.
2. Break down the work
Take note of the saying, ‘the longest journey begins with a single step’. No matter how ambitious your goal is, break it down into smaller easy-to-execute segments. By narrowing down big projects into smaller chunks and focusing on just one at a time, you’ll achieve more with less stress. The feeling of being overwhelmed and overworked normally surfaces as a result of information overload and your brain struggling to cope with the numerous competing demands being made on it.
3. Invest in technology
Today we are seeing a technology revolution that is impacting every aspect of our business and personal lives. The advancements in smart technology, mobile computing, and the internet have revolutionized the way we work. It is now possible to work remotely while on-the-go, on your couch or at a coffee shop while sipping your latte. To a time-deprived leader, these revolutionary initiatives can help boost productivity, offering you greater flexibility and thus enabling you to more efficiently manage your time.
4. Establish realistic deadlines
Successful leaders are used to facing rising and conflicting deadlines. Learn to understand how and why those deadlines were established in the first place. Consider carefully all deliverables before and after a deadline is set, assess their appropriateness and avoid the consequences of dealing with a deadline that simply isn’t necessary.
5. Learn to say ‘NO’
Leaders cannot say yes to everything and often overstretch themselves by failing to use this word often enough. This relates to a fear of losing control, of disappointing, or of failing to demonstrate drive and passion. Leaders must consider the effect of any request on their most important goals. Often failing to pass up requests is a major factor causing stress and overwhelm. Particularly when you’re already over-committed, declining new requests is preferable to missing deadlines or delivering work that is sub-standard or not in line with your own or the company’s vision.
Tania Watson is the founder of Creative Coaching and an executive coach, organisational consultant and leadership specialist. Creative Coaching is a successful company dedicated to the development of senior leaders in organisations through one to one coaching, intact team development and group facilitation. If you or someone from your organisation would like to have a no obligation conversation about how Creative Coaching may be able to help, please email Tania directly at tania@twcreativecoaching.com.
