Feeling like you could work FOREVER and STILL not get enough done in your day? Clear priorities and energy management is your key!

A lot of people think they could work forever and still not get enough done because they have too much on their plate.? But the solution is actually quite simple regardless of the workload: clear priorities and better energy management.?

Let’s dive in (because I know you’re skeptical).?

I’d like to start by saying that OF COURSE when you have a lot on your plate, it’s easy to want to take things off to make it all FEEL better.? I do this myself, simplifying and boiling down something as much as possible to make it manageable when I am able.??

However- sometimes it’s not a matter of simplifying further, offloading tasks, or feeling like we even could.? In this case, it’s completely natural for us to feel like we have too much on our plate and too many demands coming at us.?

And it’s natural for us to feel like that’s the only problem we have- an unsustainable workload!

So give yourself some grace!??

I invite you, also, to confront the areas of your life that you can control, and the improvements that you can choose to make today- regardless of your workload.??

As I look at the solution for someone who feels like they could work forever but *still* not get enough done… a few things come to mind.? Let’s discuss them.?

1. What takes priority???

If you don’t begin each day knowing what to prioritize, you will go your whole day feeling like you’re putting out fires or aimlessly wandering. (Let alone an entire portion of your career!)

This is often an issue where the leadership team must share some of the responsibility- leadership needs to communicate clearly and designate what takes priority so employees are guided properly and able to deliver.??

In my eyes, this is a fundamental function of the leadership team- to LEAD their team.?

BUT- many people I speak to are far along in their careers, so the responsibility of organizing priorities falls to them- management lets them essentially “do their thing”.?

So what about when “doing your thing” feels like you’re never doing a good job??

This brings us to these other components…

2. Executive Function has decreased

When you are constantly “putting out fires”, or dealing with demands constantly being thrown at you, your stress response activates.? Long periods of your stress response being activated means that you experience the effects of a nervous system in OVERDRIVE.??

One of those effects is that our executive functioning decreases- we are unable to plan ahead, meet our goals, stay focused even among distractions, solve complex problems, etc etc.?

Our body is in survival mode.? Although there isn’t a big black bear chasing us, hormones are coursing through our body all the same…yes, even at work.?

This comes down to the nature of our biological stress response, and many of the people I work with are PAST max capacity.? They are suffering from the very real effects of the stress they’ve been experiencing… and this is impacting their ability to prioritize, stay focused, and keep on track towards their goals (including the goals of the day).?

Clear priorities become incredibly difficult when you are living with an activated stress response system.? Even if you have been insanely productive before, or were able to exceed your goals- the state of your body has changed and therefore so has your level of functioning.

3. Your energy needs to be managed better

When we feel like we are on this hamster wheel of doing, doing, DOING, we likely are not living in harmony with our energy.? Everyone has energy that wanes and picks up throughout the day, and it’s a wonderful thing to be able to utilize that natural rhythm as much as we can with the workload we have.?

If you have creative, focused work scheduled on your calendar after lunch- it’s likely you will be feeling an energy slump.? Being creative and focused at a time when you want to doze off?? Not my cup of tea.?

When we don’t harness our energy to give our tasks an energy boost, we are left LESS productive at certain times of the day- and those times will leave us feeling discouraged, tired, or overwhelmed.?

Wouldn’t you want to make your day as easy as you could?? This is the power behind energy management.?

Lastly, number 4: Lack of Fulfillment

If you aren’t finding your role fulfilling, or having a strong connection to what you do- work may always feel more overwhelming and difficult. It’s important for us to have that connection to what we do, why we do it, or what our personal or company mission is in the world.??

When we feel a strong connection, we are able to withstand the “high seasons”, the influx of work, or the understaffing (for a short time) within our team- and we can also feel that fulfillment as we wrap up our workday when we are proud of the work we’re doing.??

Many people have been in this position where they aren’t connected to their role for a number of reasons, and I’d be happy to cover this in another post sometime soon.?

As you can see, bringing forth solutions for this issue of not ever feeling like you’ve gotten enough done in the day can be a lot more involved than magically taking things off your plate.?

There are many times when we *can’t* offload tasks or simplify further, and even then- we still deserve to accomplish our goals and live a life that feels happy and healthy.

I hope this brings to mind some areas you can improve, starting today!?

One of the most amazing parts of getting support is that you and I, together, can hone in on exactly what you need to get that forward momentum quickly, so you can feel better and get back to optimum performance.?

It’s never just about finding a band aid solution- but rather approaching the whole experience of our work to determine where the true areas of growth are so we can change it for the better.?

In my 60 day accelerator program, we do just that!? We also create a supportive communication plan- like determining the appropriate boundaries to support your work/life balance, and being able to communicate clearly to remedy issues like conflicting priorities- so you can honor your own physical and mental wellbeing while still delivering your best work.??

We also look for ways to increase your alignment to your company or role, or identify the pivots necessary so you can take action on feeling more connected to your work.??

Not to mention the stress management framework we kick everything off with- the stuff that pulls all of this together and lays the foundation to better wellness immediately.

If you’re interested in this kind of help, I invite you to send me a message!? I’ll ask you a few questions to determine if you are a good fit for the program, and if you are- we can start as soon as next week.??

-Michelle

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Michelle Holmes is a Performance Consultant who supports teams and individuals to increase their performance, resilience, and creativity so that the individual AND the organization can FLOURISH.?She provides workplace wellness workshops + corporate consulting, speaking engagements, and personal coaching.?