Feeling overwhelmed with your workload in higher education?

Our colleagues at other institutions, our mentors, and our fellow administrators can be an invaluable source of fresh perspectives, seasoned advice, and much-needed moral support. Make a habit of proactively reaching out to your connections - whether it's a quick check-in, an invitation to grab coffee, or a request for guidance on a specific challenge you're facing. These authentic interactions not only help you find solutions, but they also reinforce the sense of community that sustains us in this demanding field. Don't be afraid to be vulnerable. By sharing your challenges, you invite your network to offer advice and lessons learned from their own experiences. This exchange of knowledge and support is what makes our communities powerful.

Staying organized in higher education reduces overwhelm by prioritizing tasks, setting realistic goals, and using efficient time management strategies. Maintaining clear schedules, utilizing tools for task tracking, and delegating when necessary optimize productivity and minimize stress, ensuring effective handling of workload challenges.

Maintaining healthy habits alleviates workload overwhelm by promoting physical and mental well-being. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and balanced nutrition enhance focus and energy levels. Taking breaks, practicing mindfulness, and setting boundaries foster resilience and productivity, enabling effective management of academic demands.

Imagine putting the same question to a) human and b) AI machine - "Are you overwhelmed with your workload in higher education?" The answer from one would be like 'Oh no, am liking it...give me more' unlike that from we the other breathing tribe. In fact we cannot win over the AI machines of tomorrow in terms of either not being or being overwhelmed with 'workloads'. Neither would we want to invite disorder and death of human-workloads in the foreseeable future. Therefore, humans have to smartly manage the workload by outsoucing the routine and mundane to machines on one side and on the other install supervised disorder in the learning of machines as far as creative, critical, and crucial human workloads in higher education are concerned.

I was a full-time lecturer with a full-time PhD final deadline looming, heavily pregnant and had other commitments too. Everything was coming from all sides but knowing WHAT work I did best WHEN, was key. I often found that marking coursework was a task for the morning, moderating practical exam papers for later in the day. Writing fresh content for my Thesis was productive in the early morning or late night where as editing and proofreading began to feel like a daily early evening exercise. Be open to your WHAT and WHEN adapting overtime or in different seasons but consider it and use it to your advantage.

As an MBA holder balancing various responsibilities. For instance, I need to prepare detailed course materials, grade assignments, and conduct research while also advising students and attending departmental meetings. To manage my workload, I implement a time management system where I block specific hours for each task, ensuring I dedicate uninterrupted time to critical activities Additionally, I leverage technology to enhance my efficiency. I use project management tools like Trello to keep track of research projects and grading schedules. I also delegate tasks such as data entry and preliminary research to teaching assistants, allowing me to focus on higher-level responsibilities.