We are almost all doing too much with too little time. We get distracted from little problems and before we know it they end up on the big problem list. Soon, there are too many things that urgently need addressing.
How can we better anticipate problems? If someone is a full-time employee of a big company, there may be regular meetings to strategize. If you do not have that process, then maybe it is time to develop your own, especially if you are self-employed
Whenever I find myself having a general feeling of anxiety due to the number of projects that are awaiting me, I schedule a meeting with the boss (which is also me). I schedule the meeting at a quiet local restaurant in a few days.
I approach the meeting just as if I was going to be seeing someone who was my employer.
In the days before the meeting I list the problems, how I need to address them and in what order they need to be addressed.
I try to develop a specific strategy as to how to resolve the problems. I also try to look ahead to determine what I can do to be more effective and develop some kind of vision for the future of this “organization.” How can I do things better? What clients should I keep and which ones have become more trouble than they are worth? Is it time for me to be doing something else entirely?
And yes, I go to the restaurant, alone, enjoy a nice meal and review the notes I have made. I try to mentally “change hats” and use the time to look at what I have written to get a better idea of how to move ahead in the short term and long term.
This process helps me organize my short term work and helps me create a vision for making work and career choices going forward.
Most importantly, it reduces my feeling of “being at loose ends.”
In the days following the meeting, I often find that the stress levels are reduced significantly, and with an organized checklist I get more done.
Radio is a dynamic combination of technology and creativity. We must find ways to keep ourselves working at our highest level, and occasional introspection can reduce stress and focus our abilities.
What are your suggestions for managing stress in the workplace? How do you make your engineering workday more efficient? Email radioworld@futurenet.com with your ideas.
