How to cope with a heavy workload

11:20 24 September 2009

A furious flight attendant from America recently went plane crazy and snapped at an argumentative passenger before announcing over the tannoy that he has quit.

38-year-old Steven Slater then stole some beer and deployed the emergency escape slide before retiring in a blaze of glory.

Promptly arrested, he has become a media sensation as a working class hero, but his actions have divided flight safety groups and professional bodies.

If a heavy workload isn't properly managed, it can result in a plethora of problems ranging from increased iritabilty, loss of sleep, difficulty concentrating and dangerously high stress levels.

But there are ways around it. Here's how to keep your cool and get through the tasks without having a breakdown in the process.

Prioritise

By far the most important of all workload tips, prioritising your tasks is the key to efficient success. A good idea is to go for the earliest deadlines first but then tackle the easier, smaller tasks so you don't have as much on your plate. The reduced number of jobs will boost your confidence to tackle the bigger ones without thinking "Even if I do finish this, I've still got this and this and thisÂ…"

Remove clutter

When work is high, it's hard to focus on just one task so why litter your desk (or mind) with irrelevant materials. Take on one task at a time, and put all of the others out of sight – they will only distract you otherwise. Be tidy, but don't spend hours and hours clearing up when you should be working!

Get to know what you're really about

Your tasks were probably given to you by someone who doesn't really know you or what you're capable of. What time in the morning is best for you to tackle a certain job? Which ones would be better suited taken home? Which ones would you need help from colleagues on? Understand that you're not a one-man army – you have strengths and weaknesses like everybody else. Adapt your work to them.

Don't waste your time with other people/meetings

If you've been called to a meeting or asked to do something else, don't make the mistake of thinking that it's compulsory. State your position and workload and question whether or not it's actually relevant to what you're doing.

Don't suffer in silence

Should your work really be too much for you to handle, talk to your boss about it or just flat-out refuse to take on more. If you don't voice your troubles, colleagues may be under the impression that you're coping just fine and would benefit from even more.

If you take it home, don't let it take over

Sometimes you have no option but to catch up by taking some of your work home with you. A common mistake is to do an hour or so per night and then get distracted or frustrated and it ends up stretching over the whole week. Pick one evening in the week and stick to it. Work up until bed if need be but don't let it ruin the rest of the week.

Exercise

Keeping fit has so many health benefits, but few people realise that it works wonders for your business-head too. If it's just a half an hour walk per day, or a full-blown gym session, exercise is brilliant brain food. Your increased energy will keep your mind going for longer when you need it most, and you may even become more confident in the process on a more superficial level.