Writing a post on coping with a heavy workload sounds funny, like. What do you know girly?  Your Netflix and wine, after crying in the shower regime is hardly a productive thing you should be sharing with people. BUT since these are not my only coping mechanisms let me share…

First things first what is this heavy workload I’m coping with, well I’m planning a family fair, I’m working in an office doing design work, I’m writing for an online bar service in the UK (the bar is not online, don’t be silly) and a US content creation firm,  I am also doing some advertising writing locally and helping out with a woman’s day event and hand paint wooden accessories as party favors and gifts…so the struggle, she is real, no he is real, why must the problems be female #staywoke (joking guys…don’t crucify me)

So what is my secret for staying sane?  Step one in coping with a heavy workload is FAKE IT TILL YOU FEEL IT! And then

• Get A TO-DO-LISt

Put down exactly what needs to be done and when it needs to be done by. Write up a schedule and stick to it. That’s really the most important thing…

 

• Get some sleep

For most of my life I have been the type to pull all-nighters but lately I realised I NEED MY SLEEP. I need to function the next day and get through to-do-list the length of a politician’s food bill at a fancy restaurant. So I go to bed at a decent-ish hour you know before 12.

 

• Cut out caffeine

No not completely I’m not a monster. I’ve cut down because too much coffee makes me jittery. I still have caffeine, like this morning I put coffee beans in my chocolate milk. BUT in general I don’t have cup after cup anymore. I have had headaches because of it though so I think perhaps I’m detoxing. But after a particularly caffeine fueled day I had the worst palpitations and realised I need to back off a little.

 

• EMBELLISH the to-do-list

What I mean is, when you do your to-do-list add a few things which you have already finished. I know it seems crazy but it helps you feel accomplished like hey I didn’t do nothing but check Instagram the whole day I also had tea, hahaha. But in all seriousness if I start my day going through emails then do a to-do-list I will write on there “check emails” and tick it off, ahhhhh so satisfying.

 

• Take a break

This is especially important if you have a creative job (actually what do I know, I have only ever had “creative jobs” so this might work if you do some heavy number crunching too)  I can’t be creative under too much pressure, I’m not a circus monkey , so sometimes I need to step away, play with my son, take a bath, have coffee with a friend then get back to work…You can’t pour from an empty cup guys.

 

• Set mini goals and reward yourself

I do this thing where I can only have that chai latte once I have emailed everyone on my list. If I’m working from home, (Fridays) I can only watch that show if I have finished the allocated amount of articles.  No craft shopping until I have finished something or other…and so on.

 

• Don’t be afraid to say no

This one is tough because if you freelance, saying no to work is saying no to money. BUT sometimes you need to put your sanity first. Be realistic about what you can take on and either find out if the project can be rescheduled or pass it on to someone you trust (the good thing about this is that they are likely to pass something back to you when your plate is a little emptier than usual)

 

• Set bigGER goals

As I’m adulting HARD! I tend to work for the bills. Like that’s it, get money in give money out. BUT that is hardly motivation enough. So I set goals like…Once this project of 12 articles is done I will repaint the office, this event means I get a new bag, that project will give me a mani/pedi…

 

This is what works for me, I am no expert, ask the rescue drops in my bag. BUT as someone who suffers from terrible anxiety it really seems to be working…What works for you? please share…