No matter how well we plan, there will times in our business where we are ‘under the pump’. Deadlines clash, a crisis arises, staff are away unexpectedly, and so on. As I write this article, I am frantically attempting to finish the items on my to-do list before I head overseas for a few weeks! And even though I have planned this trip for many months, because my break is not occurring when I would usually take time off, it has crept up on me somewhat.
So how can you (and I) manage periods like this?
- Prioritise as you go: address the most urgent needs first and discern between ‘emergency’ and something that can wait. Putting things into perspective can also help (for example: is it really going to be dire if this is not done on time?)
- Pay attention and think carefully: when you are rushed and trying to get through a long list of tasks, it can be easy to forget your usual procedures. Try to stick to the way you normally do things so that mistakes are not made and important items are not missed.
- Take time to settle down. Sometimes when a crisis occurs, our first reaction might be to tweet about it or talk it over with multiple people. But sometimes the well-meaning comments from friends and family can ‘muddy the waters’. Take time to think a situation over (even sleep on it if possible) and then decide who to talk to.
- Take a break: this might sound like the opposite of what you need to do! And it is definitely the one I struggle with most. But giving yourself time to relax and rejuvenate will give your brain greater capacity to get through a frantic period.
- Breathe! Breathing deeply (count from 1 to 10 as you inhale and 1 to 10 as you exhale) brings more oxygen into your bloodstream. It tells your body and brain to reduce the intensity of what you are facing and will calm you down.
Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender