How to work and avoid being overworked ?
To plan!
Planning, that sounds proud. We like to make plans and have certain expectations towards each other that are to help us, motivate us to specific actions. The problem is that the goals we often set are too general, they do not contain information necessary for operation.
When the moment of realization comes, we realize that everything is imprecise, and something that would take us an hour takes two, three or more. We try to “embrace” the problem without focusing on anything but getting rid of it quickly. We lose information. We do not notice potential threats or unpleasantness that our solution may bring in the future.
So how do you plan? There is no universal solution. Depending on the size of the problem, we must always choose the planning for it. If it’s long-term planning, you’ll need the whole team and some sort of brainstorming that can take up to several hours. In the case of morning work planning, which I recommend to everyone, it should take up to several minutes.
Thinking a bit about the issue of work organization, I found 4 points that should be followed with each planning:
● Specified time – both task execution time and date / time. It is not about determining the exact schedule to the minute, but about setting certain frames.
● Specified contractor / tool – the task cannot be left without specifying the person responsible and how it should be performed. A task without a contractor is an incomplete task.
● Interlacing difficulties – If we have a hard task, we sit on it for a long time and we have achieved nothing, and the breaks do nothing, it is worth to break away and do one of the easier tasks at this time (for the day it is best to have several easy and one planned difficult task). Our mind will rest a little, and the satisfaction that the task will bring should give us more confidence and psychological comfort.
● INTERRUPTIONS! – work requires breaks and this must not be forgotten when planning. Without interruptions, we become less efficient and make mistakes more often. It is even good to set yourself regular breaks because our brains are not prepared to focus on one thing for more than 45 minutes.
Contrary to appearances, these principles are not easy to implement. They require self-discipline and work. However, if we manage to adapt to these rules, work becomes less tiring, less stressful and can bring more satisfaction and less frustration.
Mikołaj Szaga