When we don’t feel like we have a handle on things, stress and burnout rise, and self-care often goes by the wayside. Follow these strategies to better manage tasks, improve well-being, and reduce burnout.
Create a comprehensive to-do list. You likely have work tasks, family tasks, self-care tasks, etc. Keep all of your tasks in one place to prevent feeling scattered.
Break up big projects into smaller, more doable tasks. Your entire “to do list” might seem overwhelming. To reduce procrastination and increase energy, re-organize your more ambitious tasks into smaller, more concrete ones. Each time you complete one of these smaller activities, your brain releases dopamine, motivating you to do more. Take a moment to celebrate each task completion as a “success” to reduce burnout.
Assign priorities to your tasks. Prioritizing allows you to spend more time on what matters. You may need to consult others to get a better understanding of the relative importance and urgency of what needs to be done. In addition to boosting productivity, knowing your priorities can lower anxiety.
Set reminders. Gone are the days when we can keep track of everything in our heads. Along with work meetings, jot down personal appointments on your calendar, as well. Consider blocking off time to work on urgent tasks with reminders enabled. Use the alarm or reminder function on your smartphone, labeling them to avoid thinking, “What was that alarm for?”
Set limits. Consider how much time you want to work on a given task before taking a break. You need long enough to get into the flow but short enough so as not to lose focus. Set limits on how much overall time you will devote to a single project by aiming for “high quality” rather than “perfect.” Set limits on how much you will attempt in a day to reduce fatigue.
Decide whether you want to start with small or larger tasks. Some people need the confidence boost that comes from checking off small tasks before they tackle larger ones. Others prefer to get the hardest thing out of the way, so as to not worry about it later.
Focus on one thing at a time. While it may be necessary to juggle multiple tasks in a given day, you will be more productive when you focus on one task at a time. Batching together tasks that require similar skills (e.g., answering multiple emails in a row before starting to crunch numbers) can further improve productivity.
BEWELL FAIR
Don’t forget the BeWell Fair on Monday, May 21 from 10:30AM-1:30PM. Visit the BeWell website for more info.