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Professional News Articles : FRONT DESK by Mary M. Byers, CAE : Too much to do—and not enough time to do it?

Too much to do—and not enough time to do it?

November 02, 2006

It's Monday morning. The phones began ringing before the office even opened for the day and they haven't stopped since. The first two patients were late, another didn't even bother to show up, and you've had three cancellations. In addition, an emergency patient walked in without calling first. The office e-mail is down, the photocopier repairman can't make it until tomorrow, and a hygienist called in sick.

It's going to be a long week.

Handling job-related stress is an essential part of excelling in your work. Often, when a day starts off badly, it just continues to get worse and the stress turns into a feeling of being overwhelmed. And for many, being overwhelmed leads to paralysis on the job. There's simply too much to do—and too many things working against being able to get them done—to know where to start.

Next time you feel overwhelmed, follow these tips to keep you from being paralyzed on the job:

Ask, “Why do I feel overwhelmed?” If you can identify specifically what's making you feel overwhelmed, it's easier to address it. In the case above, too much is happening for staff to be able to get any work done. They're simply responding to phones, cancellations, sick colleagues, rescheduling, etc. By identifying the problem (being forced into a reactive mode instead of a proactive mode) they can develop a plan (handle calls and rescheduling first, then get to the rest of the day's work). Planning your work, then working the plan, will help you feel less overwhelmed when things seem to be spinning out of control.

Control what you can. Sometimes, paralysis is caused by things that are out of your control, such as a sick colleague, the repairman that can't come until tomorrow, etc. Though you can't control what this does to your schedule for the day, you can control your response to it. In the case above, the staff person chose to get scheduling under control first before turning to the work she had originally planned for the day. She knew that solving the scheduling problem would make it possible for her to get to her other work. By controlling what she could, she was able to keep paralysis from setting in.

Focus on a small activity first. When you reach the point of paralysis, it's best to identify, and tackle, a small job. The very act of doing something is often enough to overcome the inertia that allows paralysis in the first place. When you're moving, it's easier to keep moving. In the case above, once rescheduling calls have been made, this staff person likely has the momentum to move quickly on to the other tasks that require her attention.

Look for paralysis patterns. Are you frequently overwhelmed with scheduling issues or staff cancellations? Are you frustrated by the endless filing tasks required in your job? If so, solve these problems before they occur.

If staff sick days frequently mess up your schedule, locate a reliable substitute who's willing to come in on short notice. (Some companies specialize in providing temporary staff when necessary. Or, perhaps there's a former staff member who would be willing to work occasionally or someone who works part-time in another office that might be willing to be on call.)

If filing is a sticking point for you, set side the last 15 minutes of your day to handle this task so that it's not waiting for you when you walk into the office in the morning. You can often prevent paralysis by identifying what causes it in your own work life and making plans to eliminate it before it occurs.

Follow these steps next time you're overwhelmed at work and you'll be able to prevent paralysis and increase your effectiveness.

CDS presents Front Desk, a column addressing problems dentists and staff members experience in the office. Front Desk is prepared by Mary M. Byers, CAE, a professional speaker and freelance writer. Ms. Byers may be reached at mbyers@marybyers.com or www.marybyers.com. Send suggestions for topics to be covered to review@cds.org.

Copyright 2006, Chicago Dental Society