Feeling Overwhelmed at Work

Often employees complain that they do not have enough time in the day to get their work done and feel overwhelmed. Before complaining to colleagues or worse, your boss, it is best to figure out what is really going on.

Are you mindful of where your time is going? Following are some major time wasters to consider:

• Socializing with co-workers in person, on the phone, or internet/intranet
• Socializing with clients for longer than necessary
• Surfing the Net, posting and reviewing Social Media Sites
• Chatting on the company Intranet/Forums/Chat Rooms
• Handling personal matters (e.g. phone calls, texts, e-mail, on-line purchasing, banking, - you get the picture)
• Multitasking, and not accomplishing any one thing
• Having a hard time saying “no” to others 
• Having difficultly in telling colleagues to bugger off so you can get your work done
• Not delegating enough
• Not being able to prioritize workload when multiple demands are asked of you

Are you being honest with yourself?  If you are not sure, then track all your activities on a calendar for a specific period (perhaps a week or two), to give yourself a better idea of where you are allocating your time. You might find the clue and redirect your efforts. 

If you are not your worst distractor, try these tips:

• Ask a colleague for help, or delegate to subordinates
• Place focus on accomplishing tasks, not judging yourself for falling behind
• Learn to say “NO” when possible, and set boundaries
• Always prioritize your work, and then share the list with your manager to make sure your idea of priority matches hers
• Ask a colleague for advice on tackling some of the projects. Perhaps there is an easier or quicker way to accomplish the task that you have not considered
• Arrive to work one hour early or stay one hour late to play catch up. Or, try working on the weekend when the workplace is quieter and you have fewer distractions. Sometimes setting aside blocks of time to complete projects really helps lighten the load
• If colleagues distract you, nicely tell them that you have a lot of work on your plate and really need to concentrate
• Take little breaks and breath, and keep a positive attitude, reminding yourself that everything will work out

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Links to Good Reads About Feeling Inundated at Work

5 Unexpected Ways to Deal When You're Overwhelmed at Work by Erin Greenawald

In this article, Erin Greenawald asks, “When you’re overwhelmed and overloaded at work, it can be easy to feel trapped. After all, what can you really do besides continue to crank away at your massive to-do list until it all gets done? To learn her great tips….read more

Stress in the Workplace by Jeanne Segal, Melinda Smith, Lawrence Robinson, and Robert Segal

Stress is often a major trigger in the workplace and it only adds to your anxiety. As these authors share, “When job and workplace stress threatens to overwhelm you, there are simple steps you can take to regain control over yourself and the situation. Here are some suggestions for reducing job stress by prioritizing and organizing your responsibilities”….read more

7 Survival Tactics for When You Feel Overwhelmed at Work by Patti Johnson

Patti Johnson makes an excellent observation when she reveals, “We can pretend that our professional and personal lives are in two distinct compartments, but life doesn’t work that way. We are one person—and work and personal always overlap”.  She provides more suggestions on we deal with personal and work challenges...read more