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Next Day Scheduling To Relieve Stress

By: Jack Claridge - Updated: 25 Dec 2012 | comments*Discuss
 
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Many of us find that we become stressed and unable to relax because of our workloads and busy lifestyles. To this end it is important – where possible – to plan ahead and make time to relax, eat and take stock of our lives during the next day.

Using a Diary

A lot of us use handheld organisers or store information in our mobile telephones but we only do this when we have to remember an important event or meeting. Having an old fashioned paper diary is a good way of keeping up to date with what is going on and also a help in planning out days in advance.

So many of us find that we have to rush from place to place and struggle to meet deadlines so a diary is a simple and effective way of planning how much time we have to spare between appointments and what assignments and projects need to be finished and on what date.

Make Time for Admin

Administrative duties such as filing and typing up reports can eat into our busy work schedules so it is important to make time – where possible – to clear up any backlogs and to make sure that everyday paperwork is kept on top of. An easy and effective way of doing this is to allocate half an hour per day – either first thing in the morning before the telephones start ringing – or last thing in the evening when the telephones have stopped.

This may sound perhaps a little too simple but it is effective and also means that when it comes to finding important documents you do not have to spend time working up a sweat whilst making your way through mounds of paper.

Ask Someone for Help Tomorrow

This is something many of us don’t do and the result is that we are overworked, overburdened and often too far behind with our work to go home when everyone else does. There are thousands of people in the United Kingdom alone who work hours of unpaid overtime every week just to keep up to date and the result of this is that they are tired, stressed and unable to sleep.

Asking someone if they can spare some time the following day to help you with paperwork or other administrative tasks is a good way of building up a rapport with those around you and also to help get back on track with your workload, thus enabling you to go home at a decent time and enjoy your work.

Plan Ahead & Plan Early

The most important piece of advice that can be given when it comes to scheduling your workload and other work commitments is to do it in advance. Leaving things to the last minute often leads to overlaps and an inability to complete things to deadline; this in turn causes additional stress and ill health.

If you know you have an engagement next week make a note of it and let other people know as well so that they can cover for you in your absence. This means that when you return you are not returning to a desk littered with messages and outstanding jobs that need to be done before home time.

If you work in an office with a small number of people a whiteboard is a shrewd investment. Mark appointments and important events such as holidays up on it so that everyone – including you – knows when something of importance is taking place. That way everyone, not just you, can help to avoid stress and fatigue in the workplace.

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