Today we have a post from Shannon, a regular contributor.
I don’t know about you, but my work life has seemed to take a turn for the dramatically busy.
For some reason, my career flow has always seemed to be one of “feast or famine” where I work hard consistently, and then certain opportunities all seem to materialize at once.
I liken it to putting 10 fishing poles in the water at the same time, waiting for months and then six lines all have a bite simultaneously.
It would be nice to have those bites happen one at a time, but that is just not how life works out. And don’t get me wrong, I LOVE when the fish bite and opportunities arise; however, when they come, I always seem to get stressed because my workload instantaneously doubles or triples.
What I have realized, though, is that with a plan and a strategy for working through it, I can relieve a great deal of my stress and give the quality work that I would be proud of. When I feel myself get stressed about managing my work life, I do the following:
1) Sit down and list projects
One of the great stressors I have sometimes is that the work builds up and I can’t seem to keep track of what I have going on. It is impossible for any of us to manage our lives just in our heads, we really need to take the time to sit down and write down what we have to work on.
I will write my projects down on my notebook that I always have with me, but sometimes I put it on my phone. Depending on how busy my workload is I will update this list on a daily basis to keep reminding myself what I have to focus on. If anything has a specific due date, I will add this to my list as well.
2) Analyze personal calendar
Before I even plan how I will tackle my work to-do list, I look at my calendar and determine where I am allocating my time. I literally try to make sure that I am balancing a crazy work life with my family/friend life. I used to be awful at this and it only led to friends and family who were ticked off with me.
What is the point of working hard, if you miss out on opportunities with those you love? Look for times when you plan to spend time with those you love and then allocate your work schedule around the personal time.
3) Schedule specific time for each project
After I have allocated my schedule between work and personal, then I start plugging in the specific projects that I have to work on, so that I know that I have specific time allocated for each one. I literally put those tasks during blocks of time on my schedule.
For example, if I have blog posts to write, I will schedule them during a period of time that is free but also one that I know is good for writing for me. I happen to be highly productive with blog writing on Mondays, so I try to leave as much space as possible on Mondays for this activity.
4) Enjoy the downtime
Once I get through a busy work cycle, I let myself enjoy the downtime that comes after it, sometimes this is only a day or a few hours, but enjoying the downtime gives me the energy to tackle another crazy work schedule.
For me, I usually use this time to read a book or catch up on shows that I have neglected. “All work and no play” is not only a difficult way to live life, but it truly does start to wear on you over time and it makes it increasingly difficult for you to stay motivated when you really need it.
How do you manage your life when work gets busy?
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I always try to enjoy my downtime when life gets super busy. Working nonstop is usually never good, you need a way to relax so that you are more energized to work again later.
I find that when my schedule gets really busy I instantly go into this “everything-must-be-clean-and-organized mode. I can’t concentrate or enjoy my busy schedule if I feel that my life and home aren’t organized. So that usually means I have to do MORE work and clean up the house. Like you mentioned above, I also am an avid list writer and keep an updated calendar. These things definitely help manage the chaos that life can be sometimes : )
Great tips Shannon! I love the fishing pole analogy and can relate to it on a number of levels. We always joke that our clients know we’re just a “normal” busy and decide it’s time to have fun with us and then all of a sudden we have 5-6 wanting stuff yesterday. I’m big on #1 & #3. I never used to be a list guy, but running our business has definitely changed that about me. I don’t know how I’d function otherwise.
I always like to list out my projects for the day/week. This way I can see the progress I’m making, and it helps me stay motivated.
For me, it’s feast or famine a lot of the time. Since I don’t have a ton of other outside obligations, as long as I get in a little social time, daily workouts, and plenty of sleep, I can work more. But overall I try to seek daily balance. I don’t have specific techniques…I just make it happen.
I just have to force my way through it when I’m super busy. I’m fortunate that I can send my kids to daycare from 9-5. I don’t always send them all day, but I sometimes need to. I occasionally also work nights and weekends to meet deadlines =/
SenseofCents I definitely try to “reward” myself with enjoying the downtime because you really can get burnt out easy.
BudgetforMore Ha! Yes, I have no idea what I would do without list writing. When I feel myself get crazy, I immediately begin to list.
FrugalRules The fishing pole analogy is the story of my work life. It is uncanny how everything seems to come at once. And yes, since I started my own business, the lists have become mission critical to getting anything done around here.
TheWriteBudget It definitely helps to see everything in one place. Plus, I love crossing things off my list because it makes me feel as though I have accomplished something. :-)
Beachbudget It definitely helps when you fit in the things you “need” like social time and working out into the busy times otherwise, it is definitely easier to get burnt out and getting burnt out is the last thing you need when you have work to do.
Holly at ClubThrifty I am the same way Holly, sometimes you just have to push through with crazy determination to make sure things get done. And I have definitely had plenty of late nights and weekend work days to make those happen.
I am a big fan of making lists. Every few days, I re-write my “to do” list by hand and put it next to my computer. It helps me make sure nothing gets dropped.
StaplerConfessions Keeping a list nearby is a great idea. It helps to see your tasks staring right back at you as a reminder of what you need to work on.
Staying organized is super important I think. Then from there just go down that list. Like you mentioned trying to do things strategically when the time is right for you can be great also.
Raquel@Practical Cents Staying organized is definitely important, especially when work gets busy. It seems like for me, the busier I get, the less organized I get and I have to stop and make sure I have everything together.
I really could use a little more down time right now, but I do function much better during busy times if I stay organized. I also find that if my house is all cluttered, it makes me less productive. Not sure how it all fits together, but having things neat at home helps my work as well.
Eyesonthedollar I could use some down time too, I am hoping for a day or so in the near future. And I have to have a clean space too, sometimes it is worth the time lost to organize in order to get the productivity I can when it’s clean.
My calendar is my best friend – it’s such a life saver when it comes to tackling different projects with different deadlines.
Hey Shannon,
I am in the same boat. It’s either crazy busy at work or very slow. Most of the work materializes around the same time each month. So yeah, prioritizing and writing things down always helps me to meet the deadlines and not get too stressed out about anything. Enjoyed your post!