How to Demagnetize the Magnet of All Garbage
Almost every employed individual needs to acquire the skill of effectively handling excessive workloads through communication with managers, task prioritization, and the establishment of boundaries to ensure a balance between work and personal life while maintaining productivity.
“My manager will give me the task when he needs something important done quickly and correctly. I’m burdened by an extra workload than my less competent peers.”
“Why should I do more work for the same reward, while my less competent colleague coasts along with lower expectations and work?”
It’s a common experience to feel overwhelmed and overburdened with work. With an ever-growing to-do list, constant deadlines, meetings, emails, and phone calls, it’s easy to get bogged down. However, just like a faulty magnet can attract unwanted metallic objects, our minds can become magnets that attract unwanted clutter, which hinders our ability to focus and be productive. This article aims to examine why competent employees like you are often tasked with more work than you can handle and provide strategies to declutter the mind.
Reasons for Overburdening Competent Employees
1. High Expectations
According to a survey by Inc and Go, almost half of the employees who feel overworked (43%) attribute their heavy workload to high expectations from their employer. Competent employees are often expected to perform at a high level, achieve more, and do it faster than their peers. This can lead to an increase in their workload as they struggle to meet these expectations. This pressure can result in their minds becoming cluttered with thoughts, tasks, and responsibilities, much like a faulty magnet attracts metallic objects. These mental burdens can make it challenging for competent employees to focus and be productive.
2. Limited Resources
When companies have limited resources, such as staff and funding, it is common for competent employees to be tasked with more work to ensure that important tasks are completed within the given time. According to a survey by ManpowerGroup, 77% of employers worldwide face difficulty in filling job vacancies because of the shortage of qualified candidates. As a result, competent employees may face added pressure to take on more work and responsibilities.
3. Unequal Distribution of Work
Sometimes, managers are simply not aware of the unequal distribution of work among employees. According to Harvard Business Review, managers may fall into the trap of assigning multiple tasks to the most productive members of their team, assuming that all employees have similar workloads, despite the fact that competent employees may already be doing more work.
4. Recognition and Reward
Occasionally, proficient workers may receive extra tasks as a form of acknowledgement for their competence and aptitude. This may be viewed as an avenue for progression and advancement within the organization. Nevertheless, if these additional duties become overwhelming, they may lead to exhaustion and reduced productivity.
Thus, what measures can you take to eliminate this accumulation of work and ease your workload? Here are some practical suggestions:
1. Communicate with Your Manager
According to Gallup, only less than a quarter of employees talked to their manager about steps to reach their goals. This is heartbreaking and unacceptable. Thus, effective communication is crucial in managing your workload. It is essential to discuss your workload with your manager to prevent burnout and ensure a fair distribution of tasks. Nonetheless, some employees may feel apprehensive about raising the issue, fearing that it may reflect poorly on their abilities or lead to negative repercussions.
Encouraging transparent communication with your managers can go a long way in managing your workload. It is crucial to be transparent about your workload, the time it takes to complete tasks, and how it is affecting your overall productivity. Despite being hesitant to bring up the topic for fear of appearing incapable or facing negative consequences, it is essential to communicate clearly and honestly. You can foster a culture of open communication by seeking feedback and suggestions from your manager on how to manage your workload effectively.
2. Prioritize Your Tasks
An analogy can be made between managing your workload and organizing a pile of metal objects on a table. Attempting to pick up everything at once is likely to result in chaos and disorder. However, picking up one object at a time and placing it where it belongs can lead to a clean and organized table. Similarly, when dealing with a daunting workload, you can utilize the Covey Time Management Matrix, which prioritizes tasks based on their level of urgency and importance. Despite being a fundamental tool for efficient time management, it is often overlooked or underutilized by professionals.
In addition, you can employ time tracking to assess the amount of time you spend on specific tasks and evaluate your productivity. This allows you to pinpoint tasks that are consuming excessive time and prioritize them accordingly. By breaking down your workload into smaller, more manageable tasks and categorizing them by importance, you can focus on completing the most significant tasks first.
3. Learn to Say No
Think of your magnet as a filter. It attracts all sorts of garbage that may clutter your mental space, but not all of it is necessary or useful. You can choose to filter out the unwanted clutter and focus only on the tasks that are important and relevant to your work. Knowing your limits and being comfortable with saying no is essential in managing your workload. If you’re asked to take on additional tasks that you don’t have the time or resources for, it’s okay to decline.
It’s important to be transparent about your schedule and clarify why you cannot take on the extra task. If you believe that accepting additional work would hinder your ability to perform your job effectively, it’s crucial to be assertive and decline. Instead, consider proposing an alternative solution, like delegating the responsibility to another colleague or postponing it until a more convenient time.
4. Delegate Where Possible
Delegation is an effective technique for managing workload. It can be likened to being the captain of a ship who relies on their crew to navigate through challenging waters and reach their destination safely. Similarly, delegating tasks to competent team members can help you navigate through a heavy workload and allow you to concentrate on high-priority tasks. Researches have shown that leaders who delegate have higher rates of effectiveness and overall performance.
Delegating also allows you to develop your team members’ skills. According to Society for Human Resource Management, effective delegation requires the identification of suitable tasks to delegate, the selection of competent individuals for the job, the establishment of clear expectations, and the provision of support and feedback. By delegating tasks to qualified team members, you can more efficiently manage your workload and enhance your team’s productivity.
5. Block off Time for Yourself
One important strategy for managing your workload is to create boundaries by setting aside time for yourself. Similar to establishing boundaries in your personal life, setting limits in your work life can promote a healthy balance. One effective approach is to block out time in your schedule to concentrate on particular tasks without disruptions. This can allow you to prioritize your work and avoid conflicting commitments from others.
Forbes suggests that designating every hour of your day for specific tasks and responsibilities may help minimize distractions and improve concentration. Kevin Kruse, the author of 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management, conducted a study that found that successful individuals rarely talked about their to-do lists but instead focused on organizing their calendars. By reserving time for yourself, you can better manage your workload and achieve greater productivity.
Getting started to demagnetize the magnet of all garbage
To manage your workload effectively and prevent burnout, it’s crucial to demagnetize your mind from distractions at work. You can do this by communicating with your manager, prioritizing tasks, learning to decline requests, delegating responsibilities, and scheduling time for yourself. Don’t forget that your mental health is just as important as your work, so taking care of yourself should always be a top priority.
Eur Ing Hong Wai Onn, a chartered chemical engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and the Royal Society of Chemistry. He is also the author of “A Chemical Engineer in the Palm Oil Milling Industry”.
