How easily do you get overwhelmed by spikes in your workload?

Our reader poll today asks: How easily do you get overwhelmed by spikes in your workload?

– Not at all. I can handle anything that comes at me: 48%
– Somewhat. A big spike can overwhelm me: 49%
– Very. It doesn’t take much to make me feel overwhelmed: 3%

Bring it on (mostly)! Workload spikes happen all the time. Whether it’s a crisis, new project, sick colleague, or just a busy day, getting overwhelmed can happen in the blink of an eye. Your ability to manage the spike comes down to perspective, prioritization, and focus. Perspective matters because it helps you mitigate stress. Stress hampers performance and you need to be at your peak during a workload spike. Figure out techniques for maintaining perspective in crises. Remember what’s important. Be ruthless in your prioritization and execute one task at a time. Multitasking creates friction and you lose efficiency. Focus on a task, get it done, and move on to the next. You’ll find spikes are easier to handle when you follow these simple principles.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

Did you enjoy this post?  If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog.  It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!).  SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 210,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.