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How can I cope with an increasing workload?

27 Answers
Last Updated: 01/08/2019 at 8:03pm
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Kacey Oliver, LPC

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I specialize in depression and anxiety disorders. I offer warmth and compassion, cognitive behavioral therapy, along with mindfulness for a successful therapeutic outcome.

Top Rated Answers
Wanda05
November 11th, 2014 12:24am
Coping up with an increasing workload is somewhat challenging. In coping up with this kind of situation, there are certain ways I learned from the past that I strictly follow. I have to be organized by writing down a "to do" list and forecast so I could have an idea of what needs to be accomplished and I could set a time frame. Setting priorities to manage my time effectively. I have to also acknowledge that I cannot do it all. If I feel like the output of what I am doing would suffer, I might get help from colleagues or discuss the case with my boss so we could sort out what are the most urgent to accomplish and the least priority. This way, my efficiency will not suffer and I won't have to sacrifice other things I need to attend to personally like family, church, exercise and civic duties.
Mel
September 23rd, 2014 4:11am
How can I cope with an increasing workload? First of all: Don't freak out! It can seem overloading but everything depends of how you manage your time! Focus on what you have to do and don't get distracted! Woke up earlier, but don't forget that sleep is important too! And don't loose hope! You can do it! :D
Anonymous
September 15th, 2014 5:31pm
manage your time. make a schedule. with set times of what work you are going to do when. and when the time for that is fulfilled. switch. you need to keep your brain awake. if you don't finish. go back later. but don't just do one thing all day. you're brain will be crazy!
DJones
September 16th, 2014 9:20pm
To deal with this problem, one should stop. Stop working, stop fretting, just pause for a moment. Take a deep breath, relax. Clear your mind. Perhaps a song will help or reading a chapter of a book. Just try to remember you are just trying to relax for the moment, not run away from your work. Try not to do anything to relax yourself that you know you won't be able to step away from once you start it. Once relaxed, look at your workload and start making a schedule that will suit your needs. Make sure it is flexible so you can change details without being bogged down by additional work and don't make it too lax to where things aren't done. With that in mind, start working but don't be afraid to take a break every once and away to help avoid becoming overwhelmed although try to limit them. I personally try to have a break after every task I complete on my schedule although small tasks only get me 5 minutes of break time while longer tasks can net me 15 or 20 minutes. Still, use whatever amounts of time work best with you.
Taoster
March 21st, 2017 5:04pm
Industrialization of society has molded us into stressful individuals that always need more hands to work on everything at once. Some people do not ask to have such a high workload on their hands and it can lead to severe problems especially if you, like me, would give up on everything instead of trying to save what can be saved because the stress is too much. Many ways of coping with a high amount of workload come to mind, such as working out and having a drink with a friend. (note: to see a friend, not the drink!). Although they do work perfectly, these mechanism are hard to fit in a schedule that is already full. In the end , sacrificing sleep should be forbidden, even though it is the most common mechanism today with the use of energy drinks. Slicing ''sleep time'' in order to work is a really simple way to add one or two extra hours to your day.
StaceyCanHelp
October 21st, 2014 6:23pm
Make sure you manage your time well, by sorting out when you're going to do each part of your workload
Bachman
September 13th, 2014 5:30pm
I've learned, through my experience with work, being a stay home mom, and wife, that I have to step back and take a breather. Some time ago I was given advice about being a good parent that has bene advice that has flowed over into different areas of my life. The advice was if you don't take care of yourself you won't be any good to anyone else. It's very true. If you're a stressed out mess you won't function at max capacity and that's what you're needed to be as all the time when you're a mother, a boss, a employee, or anything else. I will recognize when things are becoming too much for me. I usually push through like a trooper for harder tasks and boring ones, but when more and more is piled up or deadlines creep closer stress builds. I step back, stretch, walk around a bit to clear my head or to even think about ways to fix the problem depending on what's going on and make sure to breathe. In through the nose and out through the mouth until I'm able to slow it down. I have also practice meditation, simply closing my eyes and breathing helps calm me down and helps me clear my head. An overwhelming relaxation is better for the soul, at least for me, and I'm able to return to the task at hand better than before. I can even go back over work I've done and correct any errors that might've occured during my stressing out.
Wes2
November 4th, 2014 8:34am
Keep yourself organized: keep a calendar, a note-pad, and a to-do list. Make sure you plot out HOW LONG you think each task will take you. There are only so many hours in a day, so if you see that the workload is literally unmanageable within a certain span of time, it's time to either change how you spend your time or make changes to the amount of work you are taking upon yourself.
JLCsmile
August 17th, 2015 8:41am
An important question to ask yourself is: Are you taking on more than you can handle? Once you have sorted that out, a good way I found to cope with increasing workload is breaking it down and writing a 'to do list' This way, everything you have to do is clear on paper for you and you can cross it off as you go- giving you a feeling of accomplishment. Before you know it, you'll be finish and ready for the next challenge. Hope this helps :)
SugaryHeart
January 8th, 2019 8:03pm
The best way to decrease work load is by eliminating distractions, they really wipe your energy out and the out come is nothing but a failure. Try to make a mind map of your plan you need to accomplish in the very next day. Stay focused towards your goal and ambitions and also prioritize your things that are most important. The things that matters comes first, the rest of the things can wait and in some scenarios can be ignored too. It is always good to take care of your mind by giving yourself a break from all the hectic routine, pamper yourself, love yourself because at the end of the day it is you for yourself. Do not worry much - you managed to come here, you will manage to go further too - ALWAYS!
Peacefulmeditation
August 24th, 2015 3:28pm
Try to find balance. Find ways to relieve stress at work and at home. Using relaxation techniques is a good start.
SandyCream
September 22nd, 2015 10:08pm
First you have to separate the urgent work from the not so urgent . When you have your priorities clear then organise your time . I would advise doing a time table or a plan for the week and try achieving the objetives each day. And always always have a plan B and complete everything with time , not in the last minute.
energizingHeart55
January 19th, 2016 6:48pm
Talk to your peers, and talk to your supervisor or leader. This is a major concern and the company can help cope with these stressors. Also take time to go through the Time Management activities, these are helpful tools that will allow you to accept higher workloads and mitigate burnout.
Anonymous
January 22nd, 2016 9:24am
Make a To do list but that list should consist of have Do's, Should do's and must Do's in that order, have do's Is the section of priorities section and it is the most important one, or break down the task into chunks you can manage
peacefulWarrior10
September 27th, 2016 1:24pm
Work load is equally stressful than any other stresses of life, or may be even more. But to begin with we must remember that this sort of a stress tends to take you away from your life in general. Your true happiness, your family, your inner peace, your hobbies, everything. Eventually you fail to even handle the work load in the way you initially did. So the first solution is to focus on your priorities in both work and life. Balance it out as per priority. Don't forget to take out some time for yourself and your family in a daily basis and just relax. Or may be do yoga/take a walk. You will feel more productive at work as well as be happy from within. And try to bring as less of work to home as possible. Think twice before making any commitments both at personal and professional life. And finally, don't forget to smile every now and then 😊
Anonymous
October 25th, 2016 12:57am
Make a list of things you need to do first and then go down the list. I would also take a 15 minute break and sit down drink tea or any thing that would be good soothing then go on with your day
cheerfulMonkey67
October 31st, 2016 8:11pm
One possible way to cope can be to work with people. Through extensive experience I can say this worked wonders for me. Working with other people can allow you to ask questions if you have any and also gives you the opportunity to talk with others to have some external stimulus. This is coming from an academic standpoint which I am making the assumption is similar to yours. Always leave a little bit of time for yourself as well. Perhaps set aside 20-30 minutes to read a book, or even take a run. Keeping a healthy body and mind is integral to performing well in day to day life. I wish you nothing but the best in the future. Never be afraid to reach out for help!
gentleParadise14
June 18th, 2015 12:34am
The best solutions for getting started on a big task is to break it up into small steps. And, do it quickly! Don't avoid the project! The problem is that the longer we avoid it, the closer we get to due dates which causes more stress. When the overwhelming work becomes something small you can focus on, it becomes much easier to tackle and your focused-brain can hone in on exactly what you need to do.
Anonymous
March 26th, 2015 10:43am
Dealing with an increasing workload can be really stressful, prioritising and staying organised can help a lot.
Anonymous
November 20th, 2014 8:19am
Just give a F............... like is so much more then work. Have you seen any person dying telling oooh I wish I had done more work? Just relax and dont worry just do what you can do and let the rest rest in Peace.....
CatherineSFG
November 18th, 2014 5:43pm
plan your time - make sure you allow yourself time to relax but dedicate certain times each day to your work. let teachers/co-workers know when you feel overwhelmed and seek help :)
Anonymous
November 16th, 2014 7:11am
If your workload is increased its best to increase your self care strategies as well in order to counteract the added stressors of an increase workload.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2014 11:37pm
Get work done as soon as you have it rather than waiting until right before it's due. Make yourself a schedule, and be sure to include time to relax.
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2014 5:01pm
Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents... I'll let you look that one up... Scheduling and timetabling is a great place to start, but what you can also do is timetable activities other than work - meals, chores, 'chill out time'. It sounds like school all over again, but not having to worry about time gives you the mindset to get down and focus on your tasks. It also makes those breaks between work worth so much more. Get creative with your timetable too!
Uniqueg
October 30th, 2014 8:57pm
Find ways to release stress outside of work, and if the workload is too much there's nothing wrong with asking for help.
Anonymous
October 29th, 2014 6:50pm
With an increasing work load, the best way to manage it would be to manage your time. Make a list of things you need to accomplish every day no matter what, and a separate list for things you just need to accomplish that week. That way, when you feel overwhelmed you can look at your daily list and know that if you get those things done, you are on track! Make sure to take some personal time to exercise or relax so you don't become too stressed.
StJaume
October 27th, 2014 2:57pm
It helps every so often to step back for 10-20 minutes every hour or two when one is faced with a mounting workload.