Feeling Disorganized/Overwhelmed

[movinonup]

I am feeling stressed out every day lately, because I've got a lot on my plate.  I know I can handle the work assigned by my two managers and multiple engineers, but I'm not well-organized lately.  In the back of my mind, I'm always thinking that I'm forgetting something.  I also jump from task to task instead of focusing on any one thing for more than ten minutes.

My two managers keep delegating monthly report-gathering to me, because their managers require more input than ever before. I have about 6 reports in need of updating on a monthly basis, along with 3 that need updates weekly.  The 3 weekly reports are posted on a collaborative site for input, so that's easier to handle, but the others are just Excel files that require individual input by me, after obtaining it from various offices.  I get confused about what I've added in to which tab and what's still not updated.  

The work that's connected with the coming holidays is part of it.  I have large orders (hundreds) of large wall calendars arriving each day in shipping.  They're waiting for me to label and ship them out.  I've shipped out only 15 of them in bulk to another facility for distribution.  For all the others I have to do a mail merge and print labels.  

I'm relieved we're not sending actual cards out this year, but that also means I have to gather all the e-mail addresses for each customer (6 or 7 customers with hundreds of names) so I can send an e-mail greeting from our sales group(s).  Yes, I know it's still early enough to get this done, but I'm still anxious about actually doing it.

Can somebody advise me on getting my arms (and head) around all my active projects?  What do you do in order to feel in control?  I have a blue vinyl folder sectioned off with the various categories of work, but feel like I have to go through each section daily to make sure all is in order and not in need of updates.

Any suggestions you can give me would be appreciated.

 

Movinonup

[gee4]

Do you schedule your daily/weekly tasks eg via the Task feature in Outlook or as a Reminder in your Calendar?

I feel the only way you can manage a large workload such as yours is to plan and prioritise your work.  You probably already do this in some way but it sounds like you are getting interrupted to start another task when you are in the middle of something else.

I used to complete weekly reports and would print off all the paperwork with the statistics and then once complete initial it with the date that I completed the work.  Then I emailed the report and cc'd it to the recipients.

You can really only work on one task at a time in order to give it 100%.

My suggestion is, make a list of when each report/task has to be submitted and set yourself a deadline a few days before that deadline.  Carry out each task without interruptions but keep others informed of progress if necessary.  In doing this, you will be able to ascertain if your workload is too much or if it just required some re-jigging.

We all try and do too much during a 7 or 8 hour period and the more we do, the more work colleague will throw our way.  Saying no I can't get to it now, IS an option, so don't be afraid to speak up.

Don't panic, it's only Monday!

[msmarieh]

One thing you can do with your excel spreadsheet is to turn on track changes, which will allow you to run a history to see what you have changed or not changed.

[mashley]

My position sounds very similar to yours, and 3 months ago, I could have written your entry.  Using my calendar, I entered the FINAL DUE DATE on Project A-  then I entered each step I needed to complete, and back tracked and entered each step on my calendar based on time to complete. And did this for each project coming up. Instead of Mail 500 calendars- I had manageable deadlines of Monday- run labels, Wednesday- apply labels for 1 hour, Friday apply labels for 1 hour. Using a block of time of 1-2 hours, keeps me focused, and I can get more done that way than trying to do it all at once.  I also divide work when I'm at my best.  Spreadsheets and gathering e-mail addresses I'd do in the morning, applying mailing labels, I'd save for the afternoon when I'm not at my sharpest.

For updating spreadsheets, can you hi-lite the cells you've done? Then when complete, change the formatting back before sending?  Good luck!

[peaches2160]

I am working in a huge project now that has consumed alot of time.  Was interrupted last week due to a huge meeting.  I make a list of the tasks that need to be accomplished and check off what I have done.  Consolidating the data is the hardest since none of the sheets have been submitted on the template I provided and the calculations are not right.  I have to go into every line and breakout two separate pieces of data in order to provide separate totals for each, then enter the data into the correct format.  It's not just a copy paste since the formats are different.    Anyway, I know exactly where you are coming from.  I found that if before I stop I make a note on my master sheet where I am and where I need to pick up, it is less confusing.  Fortunately, this is a one time project and will be over soon.  Needless to day, it has been confusng and I have spent hours pouring over the data.  My boss and I are planning to sit down tomorrow and review so he can see where I am with this.  When you are overwhelmed and feeling disorganized, best to step back, take a deep breath or two, and organize things.  It saves time and frustration in the long run.

[adminforyou]

In addition to the other advice, one way that I have used to know what I have updated is to update in a different font color.  After the whole project is finished I turn it back to black so that it is all uniform but it saves me time by knowing where I am.

Breaking down projects to bite-sized steps makes them easier to do.

[gee4]

Just a thought but do any of you use MS Project?  

If you are so inundated with work I am surprised you don't have a mechanism in your company for managing such projects.

Sounds like some of you are more than PA's.  I wish I was busy!

[movinonup]

So many good suggestions from all of you....I really appreciate your taking the time to help me.  Thanks

Gee, I have MS Project installed on my computer, but never tried to use it.  Maybe I should look into a class on that.  I wish you could come and help me get everything on track, since you want to be busy!

One thing that helped me stay calm yesterday--I cut my coffee down to 1 strong cup instead of 2.   I also have to make sure I exercise each morning.  I already did so today, so I feel good.

I love the idea of back-tracking to set up time to handle all aspects of a big project.  That makes so much sense.

And Peaches, that is the kind of stuff I do with spreadsheets all the time--why can't everybody get on the same page with this stuff?  I'm hoping to be able to use my collaborative system for these soon, but not everyone has access to it.

I think I will start adding new input using red font--that's a good idea.

Thanks again for your input, everyone!





Movinonup

[gee4]

No prob, it's soul destroying sitting here when I think of all the things I could be doing.

I have a meeting with my agency consultant on Friday.  I think a f2f meeting is better to try and resolve this matter.

What happens in the meantime is, my skills go rusty and I forget stuff.  At least DD keeps me sane!

[racefan2020]

I took an online course for MS Project and found it very helpful and quite good.

www.ed2go.com

It wasn't extremely expensive.  I think it was $99 and I could do it on my time.

Hope this helps!

racefan

[Nicole627]

Nice to know I am not the only person in the world feeling disorganized!  I like the idea of using final dates for task reminders.  I recently put together an excel spreadsheet of EVERY report that I do (in rows).  In the columns I have the days (Mon-Fri) and an "X" in the cell once I complete the report.  Since I have daily and weekly, I have cells shaded for days that the report does not need to be completed.  Something very simple and basic for me.  I also have a folder that I use that has all my templates that I use daily.  So every morning I go to that file, open all the templates and close then one by one as they are completed through the day (and X my checklist).  Working for me for  now!  I am sure I will figure something better!
Good luck! ☺

[peaches2160]

Ever notice how these feelings come in waves, then in a few days or a week, things settle down and you gain control for a while?  I keep telling myself in times of controlled chaos, "this too shall pass".  

[gee4]

Nikki you sound like you are making work for yourself.  Your Calendar and the Task feature in Outlook are 2 very useful tools for reminders as well as adding notes.