Have you ever sat down at your desk and been completely paralyzed by the amount of tasks looming before you, with no idea where to begin or even how to organise your thoughts? If this scenario (and the accompanying hyperventilating) sounds familiar to you, congratulations! You are in the vast majority. According to the American Institute of Stress, 94% of people feel stressed at work, and 39% said that a heavy workload was responsible. Even with a general workplace trend toward better work-life balance and more empathetic leadership practices, we are still pulled in a thousand different directions every day, which can be completely overwhelming.
Never has it been more important to focus on our daily workplace routine–a daily structure system that we implement for ourselves that will provide a framework in which we can manage our time, our tasks, and our stress levels. We all probably have a morning routine at home–perhaps we drink coffee and browse social media before heading out the door for the day. Or work out and eat breakfast. Or hit the snooze button five times. Regardless of what the routine is, we all most likely have a series of actions and events that let us know we are starting a weekday. When we get to work, we might be immediately deluged with emails, calls, meetings, and requests, making it more challenging to participate in any ritual behavior that might help calm our anxiety.
So how do we create a sustainable workplace routine?
1. Focus on one thing at a time
In his book Deep Work, Cal Newport talks at length about the importance of being able to focus completely on one single task. Doing this, he posits, allows our neurons to fire in a different way and allows us to learn complex tasks more easily resulting in higher productivity and more successful outcomes. Recent research from The Harvard Business Review says that people spend the equivalent of four hours a week toggling between different apps at work, which leads to a frazzling level of distraction. Instead, practice giving one task, small or large, your full attention until it is complete. Take note of the way your brain engages with the task you are working on and how you are able to move through your to-do list with more efficiency and less stress.
2. Take time to ground yourself
We talked about how you might have a morning routine at home–a way to wake yourself up and get yourself started for the day. The same thing is needed at work. When you start your workday, give yourself a moment to put yourself in “work mode”, whether it is sorting emails, making a task list for the day, checking your calendar, or simply sipping a cup of coffee for a moment before turning on your computer. Starting your day the same way every day will give you time to orient yourself and put yourself in a working headspace and will give you a clear picture of how you want your day to go. Even if you “have a hundred things to do” right away, make sure you give yourself this space to ground yourself and prepare yourself for the day ahead. Having this small organisational moment will set you up for success.
3. Still make a task list
And put things on it that are of varying levels of complexity. Having an outline, list, or map of your to-dos will help you get a picture of what needs to be accomplished day to day–and gives you the opportunity to prioritise. Take some time building your task list and try to be realistic about what you have the bandwidth for that day. What absolutely must happen before lunch? Before you stop for the day? Before the team meeting? Organize your day in a way that allows you to complete high-priority tasks and avoid getting bogged down in necessary but less urgent things. And if you need to, go ahead and put “fill water bottle” or “pour coffee” on the list and give yourself something to check off right away!
4. Customise for what works best for you
Remember that task list? It doesn’t have to be a list. That system of prioritisation? Make it your own. Color code your tasks if that works for your, or create a hierarchy matrix that will let you sort tasks by urgency. Write in on paper, or in a planner, or keep it on your computer–whatever will help you sort the information best. When creating a routine at work, it is vital that it works for your personal needs, otherwise you won’t stick to it. It is hard to practice a new tool if the tool doesn’t fit your personality or workspace. You may have different levels of attention and productivity throughout the day and your routine should give you space to adjust depending on your bandwidth. Need a walk to reset after lunch and prepare for the afternoon? Take it! That’s a great time to reassess. Make your routine your own so that you can make it work for you.
The biggest thing you can takeaway from establishing a workplace routine is the chance to preserve your mental clarity and acuity while still performing your job at a top level. Whether you are a leader, a CEO, or a brand new team member, your ability to contribute to your workplace and productivity depend on your not suffering extreme, overwhelming stress because of your workload. Take the time to establish and maintain a good daily routine and you will find your workload manageable and more fulfilling!