Overworked

#Overworked

It’s been a hectic month and the deadlines are fast approaching. Even after all the overtime and extra hours you’ve put in, you still can’t seem to find a clear space on your desk. You’re feeling nothing short of exhausted, and despite all of the above, the work doesn’t stop flooding through.
But what’s the answer? The job needs doing at the end of the day and surely there must be a light at the end of the tunnel? Take the next 5 minutes to sit back, breathe and read through these measures which may help your overall wellbeing and feeling of exhaustion.

Is this REALLY necessary?

Although most of the work you do within your workplace IS necessary, everything can be prioritised, and some work is simply more necessary than others. Take a step back, evaluate your workload, and decipher through what is urgent, and what can wait until the other tasks have been completed.
We’ve got a great blog here on the difference between being productive or busy.

Living in the moment isn’t all its cracked up to be

Living in the moment is a fantastic mantra to live by, and one that should be applied to certain situations. However, it’s not necessarily one that goes hand in hand with and workplace environment, as the workplace environment is often thought of as a very structured and planned setting. People who are consumed by living in the moment are not always capable of popping their heads above the parapet to have a look to the future and plan ahead. This can quickly lead you to feeling overworked and exhausted and almost certainly under more pressure that you need. Although it may seem as though you don’t have time, allocate some time out your day to take a birdseye view of your work and what can be scheduled. Plan ahead, not everything can (or needs to be) done in one day.
Check out our blog here on time management.

Set boundaries

Although flexibility is great, and it is ultimately what companies look for in employees, it is not feasible or fair to expect an employee to be flexible 24/7. There needs to come a time where the pen gets put down and the computer turned off, and that time needs to be respected. Same for the boss, you need downtime too.

No is not a bad word

Whilst saying yes to everything may make you seem like the perfect employee, it also puts you in a position where you are setting yourself up for a fall. Namely, because not everything can be done, especially not immediately. Learn to say yes and no appropriately. No, is just as important as yes as it manages the expectations of your task setter. Be logical and save yourself from the unnecessary stress.

The ripple effect

You may think that your job is cellular and your work affects you alone, however, that’s often not the case. Whether you are a leader, or an office junior your job affects others and the productivity of those around you. If you are overworked, if your work slips, if your deadlines are missed, it all affects those you work with too. Be kind to everyone (most importantly, yourself), and have open communication of what is realistic to be achieved and what isn’t.
Take our advice above and see if it makes any difference to your feeling of being overworked and exhausted.
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