What do you do if your time management skills are causing burnout?

If time management skills are leading to burnout, it's essential to reassess priorities and establish realistic boundaries. Start by identifying and prioritizing tasks based on importance and urgency, delegating where possible. Implement time-blocking techniques to allocate dedicated time for work, rest, and rejuvenation. Set achievable goals and break tasks into smaller, manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Practice self-care activities such as exercise, mindfulness, and hobbies to replenish energy levels and reduce stress. Seek support from colleagues, mentors, or a professional coach to develop effective strategies for managing workload and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Take a pause and figure out your top 3 priorities. Work on these. Drop everything else (unless there is time left, in which case your priorities are not strategic enough :)).

From experience Burnout is a hidden nemesis in the background that builds up over time. Small cracks begin to appear but you gloss over them because you’re busy being busy. Small headaches, lack of sleep, snapping. However gone unchecked can lead to bigger more unforgiving signs such as, migraines, stress and anxiety, sleeplessness, depression. Know your limits, know your red flags and act fast

Early self awareness is key. The time for rest and changing the approach is BEFORE the big meltdown. Think of ways to check in with yourself. I am a fan of Morning Pages as a daily way to connect with my inner listening and know if I need to push or rest that day.

One thing I have learned over the years is that organizations forget why they hired someone to start with. At the begining there is a smart, hardworking, honest individual and in many cases over time this same individual does not look so good in it's performance appraissals. Why? Does it starts so well and then go so wrong. Could it be that the individual gets bored? Becomes unmotivated? Or is overwhelmed? The last question relates very well with this topic. Organizations could improve their results by offering Time Management training to their employees. This will help them improve their performance and help to reduce burnout. At the same time it will create awareness for supervisors and employees on symptoms to watch out for.

As a former military leader the skill of setting boundaries was something I had to learn post military service. I have a longstanding “focus hour” that I have used since 2019 to pick up my son from school. This non-negotiable for me because it was something I was unable to do for my oldest daughters during my 24 years of service. This has allowed me an opportunity to not only be fully present for my family but has given me a renewed sense of purpose. Setting boundaries is a healthy way to stay in relationship with yourself and others. I recommend prioritizing setting boundaries as a professional and everything you set out to accomplish will be completed because you are happy, healthy,and whole.

Setting boundaries is important. Don’t say yes to everything or put tasks off to help. Give yourself rest & time to recharge.

To prevent burnout, set clear boundaries by: 1. Establishing defined working hours and breaks. 2. Communicating your limits with colleagues and supervisors. 3. Learning to say no to tasks that exceed your capacity. 4. Prioritizing self-care activities outside of work. 5. Creating a dedicated workspace to separate work from personal life. 6. Setting realistic goals and expectations for yourself. 7. Regularly reassess and adjust boundaries to maintain balance and well-being.

This is incredibly important, and when you have an incredible team, as I do, it becomes so much easier. It is so easy to check your phone or work email hour after hour so you can "get ahead of opportunities or fires." Meanwhile, your down time and valuable time with family suffer. Compromise. Limit yourself. Vacation? Allow a quick morning, noon, and bedtime check. If it isn't something that requires an immediate response, it waits. Make time for yourself and your family!

The first thing in setting boundaries is the learning to say no. Saying no is something which might not always feel comfortable and needs some practice. Saying no means taking care of yourself and your needs and prioritising yourself So start thinking : no is healthy for myself and a yes for me !

Urgent/important matrix is a fantastic tool you can use to help determine what’s the important tasks you need to do and how urgent are they! If they are not urgent but important. Make a list and know you are coming to it, if they are urgent and important do NOW! If they are urgent but not important then could you delegate and if they are not important and not urgent as yourself the simple question “do I really need to do this?”

As well as prioritising your own tasks, set boundaries by challenging those who seek to add to your workload. Is it really that urgent or are you just keen to please and worried about how they’ll see you if you say no? Are they expecting you to pick up the pace because they sat on a task too long and now want to make that your problem? A former manager, early on in my career, used to challenge me on the pressure I’d put myself under, often staying late in the office. On yet another day where I was still there long after others had left he simply asked ‘will the world end if you leave that until tomorrow?’. And of course it wasn’t going to. Those words have stuck with me over the years. Nothing is more important than your wellbeing.

First off, STOP! Breathe… give yourself time and space to think: what do I need to do to achieve my goals in my role? Are the things I’m doing helping me achieve those goals or are they things on other people’s agendas, things that are important/urgent for them to achieve? Once you’ve done that, you soon realise that many of the tasks you’ve been undertaking don’t actually move the needle on what’s going to help you achieve your goals. The urgent/important matrix (referenced in other contributions) is a great way of doing this. Once completed, prioritise. Then start doing, one thing at a time until it’s done. For those big tasks, block significant time out so you can focus and tackle the challenges with deep thinking and purposeful action.

Prioritizing tasks is crucial for effective time management. My approach divides tasks into: 1. Do First (Urgent and Important). If this task needs my attention right now, I do it right now. Usually, those tasks are not really time-consuming and do not appear often, so I can quickly move on to other types of tasks. 2. Schedule (Important but Not Urgent). I try to schedule everything in my Google calendar. It's okay for me to go through my calendar beforehand, make some changes, and prepare for all the stuff I planned. 3. Delegate (Urgent but Not Important). Golden rule :) If you can delegate it, do it. 4. Don't Do (Not Urgent and Not Important). Just don't do tasks that have no value to you or to your work.

Something that works for me is: The 1,3,5 time management strategy. 1.Start your day by identifying one significant task or goal that you want to accomplish. This task should be a priority and have a significant impact on your work or personal life. By focusing on one big task, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed by a long to-do list and make meaningful progress towards your goals. 3.List three medium sized tasks. These tasks should be important but not as critical. Breaking the day into smaller chunks of work, you can maintain focus and momentum throughout the day. 5.These can be completed relatively quickly and easily. These are typically minor but still contribute to your overall productivity and sense of accomplishment.

Taking a break is the most undervalued thing in this area, but is of utmost importance. It changes the perspective in the area of work. Often seen as a pause in productivity, breaks are actually vital for maintaining efficiency and preventing burnout. You can incorporate it easily by following few methods as stepping away from your desk at a particular duration, adding some stretching activities in the gap, or simply engaging in a brief mindfulness exercise. By recognizing the significance of breaks and integrating them into your routine, you can enhance productivity, improve well-being, and cultivate a healthier relationship with work.

Make it a priority to schedule regular breaks throughout your day to recharge and avoid burnout. Integrate brief pauses between tasks to recharge and refresh your mind, and allocate time for extended breaks to partake in activities that foster relaxation and alleviate stress, such as physical exercise, meditation, or quality time with cherished individuals.

Taking breaks isn't just about giving your body a rest; it's also crucial for refreshing your mind, managing emotions, and connecting with your spiritual side. Instead of focusing solely on how long your breaks are, consider the quality of the break—what truly rejuvenates you. Think of breaks in terms of energy rather than time; it's about replenishing your vitality rather than watching the clock. This way, you can return to your tasks with renewed focus and productivity.

In my experience, I've seen how working non-stop without adequate breaks, particularly skipping lunch breaks, can have detrimental effects on both physical and mental well-being over the long term. I would highly recommend to incorporate a 30-minute lunch break into your daily schedule as a top priority for your physical and mental health. I would also contribute to maintaining a healthy work-like balance. Make it a non-negotiable part your daily routine. Use it whether to enjoy a meal with your team-mates, going for a walk or simply taking time to close your eyes and do a power nap.

Taking a break certainly helps in refocusing the attention and identify the priorities. It’s a good way to recharge,rejuvenate and refocus.

If someone is burnout is very unlikely will have the clarity to decide how to manage its time and prioritize properly. So better seek support by a close advisor or coach to help to untangle the situation and recover control of time and tasks.

As mentioned earlier, connections are essential. They serve as a sounding board for support, helping you navigate challenges. But remember, connections aren't just about friendships; they can also be sources of spiritual and mental support. Whether it's seeking guidance from mentors, finding solace in faith, or engaging in activities that uplift your mind, diverse connections can provide the multifaceted support needed to thrive.

I have an Accountability Partner who advises and guides me to ensure I don’t burn out. As he knows me well, he can occasionally notice signs before I tell him. Having that support helps me to pace myself and also to prioritise my workload etc more efficiently. This partnership works both ways

In my experience, if you are not getting the results that you are hoping for whether it’s time management or any other area you’re looking to improve, it can be incredibly valuable to seek help. We often waste more time and energy trying to puzzlepiece and problem-solve on our own because we are missing the broader picture or lacking certain skills. A good coach or mentor will work with you to offer step-by-step strategies and troubleshoot so you’re not doing it all alone!

Utilizing outlook calendar for hi-lighting key dates, vacation dates, Black out dates. This is a great tool for assisting in time management. I also like making lists & checking them off.

Reflect every day even one sentence at the bottom of your diary after your work day. What did I do today? What did I learn? What will I never do again? What must I remember next time? Those are some prompts you can use. Reflect on that one thing you keep procrastinating on. Why are you doing that? It can paralyze you from doing anything else because you stay worrying about that thing.

I agree that it is important to have regular touch bases with yourself. Admittedly working towards solving any time management issues. Understanding that routine & prioritization set you up for success. Work life balance and time management go hand in hand.

When I am burning myself out, it is often because I don't realize that I am trying to avoid something. You might have experienced something like this, where its seems you can't even complete a simple task like an e-mail. In my experience my burnout comes from my perfectionism, which is the exact same thing as procrastination. Neither one is better than the other and they both put you in the exact same position of not getting things done. If you can't complete a task, ask yourself "is this really my skill set and do I need help for this?" A no, followed by a yes to that questions is inevitable. Staying busy can often distract us as being productive, but really we are just putting more on our plate. Nothing gets done well that way.

Of course, once the path is set, monitor the behavior to avoid the same mistake. Also, can ask people to give me a feedback about this.

Every task/project has a plan and that plan needs to be implemented in steps. Reflecting constantly on each step can give you the opportunity to analyse your actions, priorities activities, and to use time wisely for yourself as well. Transform time management in time action and bring work -wellbeing balance into it.

As Steve Jobs once said, “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do.” Part of effectively managing your time to avoid burnout is to find the Goldilocks sweet spot between doing one important thing really well and juggling everything else. The more fractional your time, the less focused you are. This frenetic approach to a neverending to-do list is what leads to exhaustion...the bad kind. Learning to comfortably say no to the things that don't really matter (or are better attended to later) takes discipline and is not always practical, but if you can stay in the sweet spot more often, your efforts will not only be more sustainable, you'll probably feel better about the impact you're making.

One of the main causes of Burnout is overthinking. In my experience, it’s not always the activity that causes the burnout, it’s the thinking about it, avoidance, fear, procrastination etc, that causes the stress levels that can lead to Burnout. Work with a Coach to see what you are avoiding on a day to day basis. See how this might be contributing to your higher stress levels.

L’épuisement professionnel est un grand sujet. Il appartient à tous les temps, à toutes les entreprises et à toutes les catégories professionnelles. Dire que ses causes appartiennent à la mauvaise gestion du temps cela est vrai mais insuffisant. Tout déséquilibre sur le plan personnel ou professionnel non détecté et rétabli assez vite chez la personne peut induire à ce fléau. Pour détecter un mal être le plus rapidement possible il faut : - apprendre à se conna?tre - être à l’écoute de son corps et de son esprit - être capable de reconna?tre les signes coureurs - demander rapidement de l’aide - reconna?tre et accepter l’épuisement pour pouvoir commencer à agir.

If time management skills are leading to burnout, it's crucial to reassess priorities, delegate tasks, and implement effective strategies like breaking tasks into smaller chunks and scheduling regular breaks. Prioritizing self-care through relaxation, exercise, and seeking support when needed can also help mitigate burnout and promote a healthier work-life balance.

Practicing self-care is crucial in preventing burnout. Ensure you get enough sleep each night to restore energy and improve focus. Adopt a balanced diet rich in nutrients to fuel your body and mind for the day's tasks. Regular physical activity, whether it's a short walk, yoga, or a workout session, can significantly reduce stress and enhance your mood. These self-care habits not only boost your physical health but also your mental and emotional resilience, helping you to better manage your time and workload without succumbing to burnout. Remember, taking care of yourself is not a luxury—it's a necessity for sustained productivity and well-being.