How To Juggle A Busy Workload

Our new reality means many people are juggling large work volumes with new challenges such as disrupted school schedules, the need to self-quarantine, or colleagues taking time off due to illness.

- Marvin Opperman

Whether you’re a marketing specialist trying to manage a brand campaign from your lounge, a call centre operator working from home, or a business owner or manager trying to stay on top of things, the anxiety of an unwieldy workload isn’t conducive to productivity or remaining healthy.

Reset expectations about multi-tasking

More than ever, we are tempted to chip away at a series of jobs simultaneously to stay on top of the workload. Many of them may be trying to make lunch for the kids, type up that urgent report and handle a Zoom or Microsoft Teams call at the same time. The reality is that nobody can multi-task efficiently; what we call ‘multitasking’ usually amounts to switching rapidly between tasks.

This is a productivity killer because our brains are forced to focus on the act of changing gears, rather than on each of the jobs at hand. Instead, encourage employees to move through tasks in a systematic way, giving each one the attention it deserves. This will help them achieve the right mindset for the job at hand and they’ll finish it faster.

Set clear priorities

While micro-managing people would not be recommended, managers can help colleagues be productive by aligning on the focus areas and achievements to be set out on a regular basis that works for both the manager and colleague. This will assist in prioritisation and for an opportunity for the line manager to assist where there may be blockages. Organising these tasks by importance and setting realistic deadlines can help people remain focused on what matters most to the business.