What's the best way to stop taking on too much work?
14 Answers
Last Updated: 01/19/2021 at 4:45am
Moderated by
Lindsay Scheinerman, MA, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
My work with clients is to help them recognize and build on their strengths to find solutions for the conflicts presented in their lives.
Top Rated Answers
Realize when you have taken on too much and never take on that much work again. Be present and have self-awareness and you should be alright.
Always know your limits and learn from you mistakes. Your human after all. Try taking only what you can handle and you are sure you can meet the deadlines for.
Anonymous
December 7th, 2015 2:52am
The best way to stop taking on to much is by doing what you need to do and helping others as time comes
Reduce the speed of completing your existing works. It will help you to get less work from your boss
Self-reflection is a valuable tool to help center ourselves within the compass of what our body and our mind is currently letting us know about ourselves. Committing to at least five to ten minutes of the quiet observation of thoughts can help to ground us in the present moment and afford us the opportunity to explore our personal boundaries.
The best way to stop taking on too much work is to know your limits. Be aware of what you can and can't do. As much as you think you can handle it you are bound to have a breaking point and you'll be doing way too much work and beyond what is expected of you. I did this when I started working with my new organisation. I wasn't aware of it at the time but before I knew it I had a massive caseload of people and was working extra hours to fit in the work. I had to step back and realise that I was doing too much. You know what you can do and manage, stick with this regardless if the team needs support because in the end they always figure something out.
I use a day planner or the calender on my phone to schedule out the stuff that i have to do and when i can do it as well as when i am taking time for myself.
You have to do what is best for you and what works for you. Everyone is different. But you can start by setting limits for yourself and sticking to them.
Anonymous
July 29th, 2016 12:57pm
Assess your capacity: Review past tasks, timesheets, etc. Were there certain assignments that required more effort than expected or that were completed easily?
Use this assessment to establish your personal limits. In the best case scenario, how much can you accomplish at once?
Next, take a step back from your best case scenario and adjust your limit lower. If you work in a job with ever-changing priorities, you may want to cap your limit at 75% of the best case scenario. Conversely, if you work in a job that's fairly rigid and routine, you may want to cap your limit at 90% instead. Setting your limit a smidge lower lessens the risk of being overworked when the load gets heavy.
Lastly, don't be afraid to say "No!" :) If you don't have room in your schedule to take on extra work, this little word--"no"--is your best friend. If you've not been one to say "no" to work before, it may initially come as a surprise to your manager and coworkers. Ultimately, it is wiser to decline extra work than take it on at risk of overburdening yourself and producing lesser results.
Plan how much you want to take on before taking on anything at all. Always have a plan and leave yourself some leisure time.
Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries. It's important to set some healthy boundaries that are smart, attainable, reasonable and timely. The best way to stop taking on too much work is to learn to say no. Often we try to make so many people happy that we forget about ourselves.
Anonymous
May 29th, 2018 6:29pm
To take time for yourself. If your boss or teacher asks you todo extra simply explain you are taking some time for yourself, and will complete the work at a later time, If you are allowed.
Relying on your co-workers, asking for help, giving importance to all your aspects of your life and balancing it adequately.
Take time for yourself. Find something you enjoy, besides work, and take time to enjoy a hobby. I enjoy hanging out with my friends or going on an adventure outside. I like to find places to hike outside, near water or up hills and mountains. If your not interest in this, a self care day is amazing. Go to a spa or make a spa at home. Bubble bath, face masks, shave, and lotion your whole body. Make yourself feel good and refreshed. Remember there is other things in life besides doing work. Don't work so much that they expect it out of you ;)
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