Getting back to work after a sick break is hard. I imagine it is the same no matter what kind of break it is. And the overall feeling is one of overwhelm. Of course work has piled up.
Besides juggling deadlines and pacifying clients and being really creative with the reasons for delay, there's also the routine stuff that has to be done. I am referring to cooking/eating/bathing/etc. all of which claim time during the 24-hour day.
I was talking to my friend about this when she laughingly said, "You've got to eat that elephant one bite at a time".
Seriously, is there any other way to eat it? For one thing, elephants are massive. And rushing it will only result in indigestion and anxiety, neither of which is good for health.
My to-do list is currently that elephant. I am circling it, wondering where to begin.
How can I wrap my mind around what I have to do?How to prioritize and take care to bite only what I can comfortably chew? Especially when I am going through tummy troubles as well, right now?
Here's how I plan to tackle it.
I am going to treat my to-do list like a buffet.
I'll take a good long look at what's on this buffet.
Then, I will pick tasks that will make me happy, to begin with, and add them to my plate, so that when I am done with them, I have that nice feeling of satisfaction.
How do I know what not to put on my plate?I am giving myself permission to take a deep breath and only go back for more when I am ready.
When I don't overload my plate, I allow myself to enjoy every morsel and share my happiness with others.
I am tackling my workload in bite-sized pieces so I can stay stress-free. This way I will also accomplish more.
And while I am at it, I will rearrange my to-do list like a menu and divide the tasks into appetizers, main course and dessert.
- Appetizers will be the easy stuff that can be done quickly.
- The main course will be the bulk of the day's tasks that will occupy the biggest chunk of time.
- Dessert, well, dessert will be what I do at the end of the day after I take stock of the rest of the "meal".
By dividing my work this way, it will seem easier to handle. Perhaps, in the process, I will even move some items to tomorrow's menu or buffet.
How do you manage your work when you return from a break?Little by little, a little becomes a lot. - Tanzanian Proverb
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