Workload and assistance

Priorities | Honesty | Sensitivity | Asking for help

Task overload. This often is overcome by assessing workload and assistance from others. Sometimes workloads build up to the point where even urgent tasks stack up. This leads to pressure, stress, and confusion.

The reasons for the log jam are many. It may be that too much was taken on. The complexity of a project or activity may have been misjudged.

There could also be things that come up unexpectedly. Or the boss gives out more work than the time allows.

It becomes unlikely or even impossible to get everything done. This can be very stressful and draining. This is especially true when others are waiting and anticipating results.

You may actually struggle to get the job done, but in grinding through, the expected standards are often not met.

Bottlenecks could also occur because of lack of ability or experience. Sometimes this deficiency is overlooked until it is too late. There may be an effort to push forward, hoping that things work out. Usually this leads to pressure, stress, and often times failure.

Recently I was put in charge of a major project at work. I had minimal experience in the areas needed. The project soon was behind schedule and over budget. I still felt that I could do the job and doggedly pushed on. Significant overtime hours were required. The project was completed but the eventual outcome was considered less than satisfactory.

This can happen around home as well. One afternoon I decided to fix my son's bike. There were other things on the agenda, but I felt it would only take a few minutes. However, as I got into the job, I got stuck working on one of the bolts. I could not get it off.

I struggled for more than an hour but could not budge the bolt. I was now tired, frustrated, and behind schedule. I finally grabbed the bike, shoved it into the car, took it to a bike shop.

To make a long story short, they were able to fix my original problem in about 10 minutes. They had the right tools and the right experience.

Pride, ignorance, or embarassment will often keeps one from asking for help. Getting the help needed will yield better results and at the same time cut down on stress and frustration. It is good to frequently evaluate current workload and the ability and resources to carry it through.

Trying to stretch too far at work can also impact home life. Extra time at work will mean less time with wife and family. This can multiply the stress for both home and work.

The following questions can help make decisions on how to proceed:

• Have my priorities stayed the same since taking on this project?
• Is the scope larger than originally thought?
• Do I have the necessary experience?
• What is the impact to my other tasks?
• How are my family and others impacted by my decisions?
• Are there others available who could assist?
• Have I properly communicated the issues and progress on troublesome tasks to all involved?

If I honestly answer these questions, task management will be improved by focusing on workload and assistance.

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