Feel free to write down the people who waste your time in this column
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Right before the holidays, and in general, you are overwhelmed with tasks, you constantly worry about whether you will be able to complete them on time and with quality.
It is clear to you that there is no point in talking to the boss. He cannot cancel or postpone anything, because everything is urgent. And you can’t assign colleagues to help you, because everyone is overloaded. If you’re going to complain, you’ll only come off as someone who doesn’t properly appreciate the tense moment. You may not even meet sympathy, but anger – he and the boss are under stress, he is responsible for everything, isn’t he?
Help yourself by taking half an hour to think about whether you have properly organized your own work. You may notice a common mistake – that you have not removed the excess.
In every task there are details that you can easily do without. Sometimes you don’t see them because you’ve entered a routine, you’re used to acting like that and you can’t get out of the matrix. But now it is required to prevent the danger of failure.
When you have enough experience, know the job well and set a goal, you can see what to remove. The result will be the same, but you will achieve it faster and with less effort. It’s called efficiency.
Also, think Are you a perfectionist?. In many cases, this is exactly why employees feel overworked. It’s just that the boss who assigned the tasks did not expect that you would try so hard to complete them.
If you are one of the conscientious people, it is very likely that you have taken on your shoulders and those parts of the work on the particular project that should be done by other colleagues. Not as help to you, but as my official duties.
In management, there is such a concept – delegation. It is not only for superiors who must give rights and responsibilities to their subordinates. Each person who has to work in a team must recognize what he can do alone and what a colleague must do.
If, for example, you need a financial report for the performance of the task, there is no point in doing it yourself, digging through hundreds of reports. The accounting department can do it for you much faster and qualitatively.
The colleague will probably sulk that she has to deal with this now. But you be categorical that this is part of her official duties. Give her enough time, of course. But don’t burden yourself, you can do the research. You can also clean the office, but you don’t, right, that’s what a hygienist is for. Although the comparison is harsh, think of it this way – everyone has to do their part of the tasks, otherwise the whole thing will go into a loop.
Even if you are convinced that you will do a better job of a job that is generally the duty of another colleague, do not take it upon yourself. It is not meant for you as a time and resource. By taking it, it is your own fault. There is nothing to complain about overloading.
There may be another reason for your stress – you allow colleagues to waste your time. It often happens from too much good manners and politeness. Bilyana from the neighboring department calls you on a work matter, but because she is angry with her boss, she complains to you for 5 minutes. Ivan needs help and is hanging over your head to advise him on how to cope.
You have to learn politely but firmly turn such people away. If Bilyana is your friend and she is not crying hysterically because of a scandal with her boss, postpone her complaints, offer to meet during the lunch break so that she can tell you what happened. Help Ivan, if it will be done quickly. If he has a habit of abusing you and making you do his work, refuse him directly.
It is imperative that you also weed out those toxic personalities that exist in every office – grumblers, gossipers, braggarts, under-committed employees looking for company. In addition to wasting your valuable minutes, they probably stress you out with their pessimism, meanness or self-indulgence.
Although they are people, feel free to put them in the “redundant” column and cross them out. If you let them keep you busy, you will have to stay after hours every day to do your own work commitments.
Focus on what’s important to reduce stress. Otherwise, you run the risk of making a mistake because of it, no matter how hard you try.
In “The Right Man” you can read more:
“Eureka” alone is not enough for success by giving you an idea at work
Wrong, more wrong, most wrong, “You’re wrong boss”
Questions to impress your new boss
When your boss loves you a moment before you leave him
Concrete steps to be recognized as an authority at work
Saving tricks if you have a time-sucking boss
8 Team Roles Beyond the Job Description – Which Have You Recognized and Do They Lead to Success?
Self-love is not a dirty word, it helps to succeed at work
Unexpected disasters from a visionary boss and a micromanager
How Luck Syndrome Affects Career Success
