8 Tips for Managing a Large Workload

Seamlessly managing a large workload as an executive assistant, office manager, or administrative professional can be challenging. You may have been temporarily assigned more duties, or you may be working on a special project. 

To ensure your quality of work stays the same, you will need to employ a thoughtful approach to your new workflow. Identifying strategies and tools to help you achieve your work goals will not only increase your productivity, but also alleviate stress and ensure great results in the long term. 

Check out the following tips to ensure that you complete your projects on time and that they adhere to the quality of work your boss and your team expect from you as an administrative professional.

1. Define Project Goals

One of the best ways to prepare as you take on a huge workload is to define the overarching goals for each project. By defining and understanding your goals, you can determine what you need to do to accomplish each goal. This big picture is not only critical for your team but also clearly defines the parameters of your project and directs how each task on your to-do list should be accomplished.

2. Set a Realistic Timeline

By setting realistic deadlines for each task in your project, you avoid the stress and anxiety of racing against time as deadlines approach. It’s also prudent to account for risks by planning in advance and having a contingency plan in case things don’t go according to your orginial plan.

It’s also important that you update your plan whenever there’s new information, changes, or deadline shifts to ensure that your plan caters to the most urgent tasks first.

3. Have a Daily Schedule

Having a daily schedule that prioritizes your immediate tasks and responsibilities will help you adhere to a clear and concise action plan. Taking the time to lay out details of what it will take to complete each task, while taking into account your daily responsibilities, creates the visibility to help you track your progress across all projects. 

4. Use Organization Tools

Making use of organization and planning tools can be a game-changer when you have a huge workload. For some people, a notebook is enough to keep track of information, plans, ideas and lists.

Better still, there are some awesome task management apps, such as Trello and Asana, that are perfect for ensuring that you and your team remain organized throughout the entire project. They enhance collaboration and visibility, and are great for updating your team on tasks and projects in real-time. They also issue deadline reminders to ensure efficiency. 

5. Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate

If you have a huge workload, you should remember that your team is there to support you. This is the opportune moment for you to reach out and ask if they can assist with certain tasks.

By doing this, you are upholding a team-oriented work environment. This ensures the timely completion of tasks and projects, while the overall quality work remains consistent. 

6. Communicate Each Step of the Way

Communication is key when there is a lot of work to complete. Constantly communicating and sharing information on tasks and projects ensures that everyone is on the same page. It also helps in gathering new ideas and contributions that can boost the quality of the project and the final product. 

7. Remember to Take Breaks

There is only so much that you can accomplish within a stipulated time frame. You should never overwork yourself at the expense of your physical and mental health. It's therefore important that you take breaks several times throughout the day to ensure that you don’t exert unnecessary pressure on yourself. 

8. Carve Out Time to Review Resources (and Reward Yourself!)

Remember to make maximum use of the resources at your disposal, such as ASAP's many resources on task and project management, to remain efficient.

Your workload may seem to be constantly growing with no end in sight, but it’s important that you also acknowledge your accomplishments and reward yourself for accomplishing them as well. This is bound to keep you motivated in the long run.

Summary

An increased workload can be overwhelming. However, having a great plan, prioritizing your tasks, constantly communicating, and capitalizing on available resources and technology are some of the aspects that will determine if your project is ultimately successful.

One of the benchmarks of success in any workplace is how tasks and projects are handled. As an individual, you should be constantly seeking ways to be more productive and efficient. The pointers shared above will help you to be plan better and develop better strategies to efficiently address and proactively manage a heavy workload. You can also adopt them as part of your daily work regimen.