Is your workload unmanageable?
Leaders in higher ed. tend to have a huge workload, far too many e-mails, many crises and interruptions, and all that in a highly bureaucratic environment where progress tends to be slow. It’s easy to look at circumstances and feel defeated. In fact, many leaders get to the point of thinking their job requires more than any human being can possibly do, so they fall into learned helplessness. I agree that the workload can be overwhelming, but there is always something (and usually many things) that can be done to achieve better results in the same amount of time.
Are you getting in your own way?
The difference I see between the managers who are overwhelmed and those who are not, is that one type focuses on all the reasons why they can’t succeed, and the other focuses on how to get things done successfully.
It’s not their circumstances but their mindset that makes the difference. Most managers think they are looking at their situation objectively but forget that their reticular activating system causes them to only notice what they look for. Their beliefs become self-prophecies. In other words, the narrative they create in their minds becomes their reality.
Here are some examples of behaviors and habits that feed helplessness instead of fostering problem-solving and creativity.
Seeing yourself as a victim.
Making other people responsible for your situation or your feelings.
Spending/wasting a lot of time thinking or talking about how you don’t have enough time.
Seeking the company of people who are just as helpless, to validate one another, because misery loves company (being challenged by empowered leaders or an executive coach can seem uncomfortable but it’s essential to getting unstuck and I promise you it’s worth it!).
Believing that things will inevitably fall through the cracks, causing you to fail to identify your top priorities and make sure they are getting the attention they deserve.
Thinking your job requires you to put out fires all day so you become completely reactive and don’t plan ahead or prevent foreseeable problems.
Forgetting to foster good professional relationships, which would be needed in time or disagreement or conflict, or simply when you need to collaborate and get buy in.
Being so focused on your own challenges that you don’t have empathy or even a good level of understanding of what others are going through, which leads to more disagreements and conflicts (and we know how conflict can take a lot of time to resolve especially when people get defensive and try to prove the other person wrong).
Not making expectations clear with your direct reports, training them, and keeping them accountable, which leads to a myriad of issues from low work performance to low morale among your best performers on your team.
Not delegating because you don’t trust team members, so you avoid them rather than having to deal with their performance issues.
Agreeing to taking on more projects than you can accomplish, which will lead people to be disappointed when you let them down, causing more stress and more helplessness on your part.
Having to spend a lot of time resolving issues that could have easily been prevented if you had made time to plan and think things through.
Procrastinating on tasks you don’t like and staying busy with simpler things like answering emails or going to endless meetings most of your day.
Hiding from problems and responsibilities that make you feel powerless, which only escalates tension with others because of your lack of responsiveness.
Seeking perfection and control, which will make you allocate more time than necessary to projects and create delays and bottlenecks.
I am going to stop here because my goal is not to make you feel guilty but to point out that you are not a victim of your circumstances. Please believe me that no matter what situation you’re in, there are many new habits you can develop and strategies you can implement to be able to get more done in less time and reduce your stress level.
It’s time for change!
Step 1 is to take full responsibility, stop focusing on problems, and put all your attention on solutions. I have many articles available for free on my website specifically to help higher ed. leaders optimize how they spend their time. Check them out here: https://thrivinginadmin.com/time-optimization-articles
The sad thing is that people who need help with time management are the least likely to read the articles and implement what they learn (learn or are reminded of, since most leaders are not lacking in knowledge but in structure and implementation).
If you have had enough, if you are sick and tired of being overwhelmed, the best is to work with me one-on-one. I will make the process much easier for you, make sure you don’t feel regret or shame about the past, coach you to focus on the present and the future with enthusiasm, and make long-lasting changes to bring you the success and inner peace you deserve. Click here to schedule a complimentary call with me and we’ll discuss how we can work together. Don’t wait. Today is the day! Talk to you soon.
About the author: Dr. Audrey Reille has empowered thousands of professionals through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, speaking engagements, and online courses. Audrey is the go-to executive coach for leaders in higher education administration. She empowers them to thrive by improving communication, reducing stress, optimizing strategies, improving professional relationships, and developing a strong and empowered mindset.