Don't be overwhelmed

Many people feel overwhelmed at work.  The relentless tide of messages and emails seems to set an impossible agenda.

So, we need to improve our time management, right?

Wrong!

If you create more space by better organisation, ‘other stuff’ will be re-prioritised and re-arranged and you’ll soon be overwhelmed again.If you show your boss you can complete more then others, s/he’ll give you more to do.

The answer, therefore, is to focus

Make sure you know what is essential to the organisational or departmental mission.

Then determine what outcomes you need to deliver to contribute to that mission.

If you can achieve (most of) those outcomes, you’ll change from being overwhelmed to  being very busy but satisfied.  Your sense of achievement will take over.  You’ll probably do more as well.