Decision Making – Page 6 – mardihumphreys.com

The Right Measure

If you constantly compare yourself to others, you chase a standard that shifts every time you get close. There’s always someone getting promoted faster, managing bigger projects, or getting more recognition than you. If you measure yourself by their successes, you’ll never feel like you’re enough.

And here’s the kicker: You likely judge yourself not by what others actually think, but by what you assume they think. You guess what your manager values. You assume your team sees you falling behind. You imagine that everyone else is operating at peak performance all the time. But that’s not real. And it’s not useful.

Flip Your Focus

The next time you compare yourself to a more successful coworker, try shifting your attention inward. Instead of asking, “Am I as successful as they are?” Ask yourself:

Am I better today than I was yesterday?
Did I learn something new?
Did I make a meaningful contribution?

That paradigm shift matters. Success is an external measure. It can be valuable information, but don’t let it define you. Use your success metrics like data. What are they telling you?

For example: Let’s say one of your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is the number of client accounts you manage. You’re under target by 10%. That doesn’t automatically mean you’re failing. Dig into it. Maybe you’ve been onboarding new clients. That work doesn’t count toward the metric but it still matters.

Use Your KPIs

Reframe the way you think about your KPIs. They aren’t a report card. They’re not a moral judgment. They’re tools. It’s easy to tie your identity to your outputs. But you don’t control every variable. You can’t make a customer sign a contract. You can’t force a stakeholder to give faster feedback. You can’t make a product ship before it’s ready.

But you can control your own actions: How many new leads did you contact today? How many blockers did you resolve on that project? How many updates did you send to keep others aligned? Those are behaviors you own. They compound. They create momentum.

When your KPIs aren’t where you want them, think about what needs to change. What’s missing or unclear? What habits or inputs can you adjust?

On the other hand, when they are where you want them to be, think about what’s working. Can you replicate it? Is this a system worth sharing with your team?

Your Progress

Instead of measuring success by comparing yourself to your coworkers, try measuring your progress. For example:

Do you have more connections than you did last month?
Did you reach out to more clients this week than last?
Did you lead a better meeting today than you did last week?

If so, you’re growing. That’s the measure that counts. Aim for getting 1% better every day. You get to decide what success looks like for you.

Your Future

Success is about the past. It’s what you did. But the past is over and you can’t change it without a DeLorean, a working flux capacitor, and plutonium. So, concentrate on today and tomorrow. You can’t control the future, but you can influence it. The way you manage your calendar today, the decisions you make in this meeting, the effort you bring to this email; all those actions shape what tomorrow will look like.

What is your measure of success? Please share in the comments.

What Matters?

It’s time to rethink your expectations around job benefits. Health insurance, 401(k)s, and Paid Time Off (PTO) used to be standard. Now, they’re negotiable. Rising costs, shifting priorities, and new work models are changing what companies can offer. What employee benefits can you ask for? Can you design a plan both you and your employer are happy with?

Why Employers Offer Fewer Benefits

Healthcare: Premiums continue to rise and companies are struggling to keep up. Offering comprehensive plans can cost thousands of dollars per employee, per year. Government rules around healthcare, insurance, and employment affect what companies are required to offer.

Profit: Small and midsize businesses may want to provide great benefits but they can’t afford to. Profit margins are tight. Even big companies are watching the bottom line. Short-term and freelance contractors and at-will hiring mean different obligations for employers.

Flexibility: Some employers are moving away from standard plans to offer personalized options: more cash, stipends, or the ability to customize your benefits. A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Companies are starting to tailor benefits to age, life stage, or role.

How to Rethink Your Expectations

You don’t have to settle for less. But you do need to adjust your expectations based on where you are in life and what matters to you right now.

Evaluate: Ask yourself: Do my benefits expectations match my role, experience, and life stage? For example, moving into leadership might mean shifting from PTO priorities to executive coaching or equity. A new parent might prioritize healthcare over travel perks.

Refocus: Your needs change. What mattered to you when you were 25 years old probably doesn’t matter at 50. Don’t cling to outdated goals. Shift your focus based on what’s useful to you today.

Traditional Benefits Missing? Ask for These

Education or Upskilling: Ask if they’ll fund certifications, courses, or conference attendance. It helps you grow, and you will use what you learn to help them.

PTO for Mental Health Days: Even if PTO is limited, see if you can take a few days each year to unplug without using vacation time.

Flexible Work Arrangements: If they want you on-site five days a week but don’t offer benefits, ask for a hybrid schedule. Saving time and money on commuting has real value.

Technology or Home Office Stipend: Working remotely? Ask for support with home internet, desk setups, or hardware.

Know What to Ask

Use the conversation to shape the benefits that matter to you. Negotiate for what you need. Be proactive, specific, realistic, and adaptable. Your goal is to satisfy both you and your employer. You won’t know what’s possible unless you ask. Here are some questions you can use:

“Is the benefits package flexible?”
“What kind of mental health support is included?”
“Do you offer nontraditional perks like student loan help?”
“What benefits are included beyond salary?”
“What professional development resources are available?”
“Can we add a few mental health days or a stipend for leadership training?”
“Can you increase base pay or offer a monthly health stipend to offset insurance costs?”
“Are flexible hours or hybrid options negotiable?”
“Can we revisit the package in six months based on performance?”

What work benefits are most important to you? Please share in the comments.

Quiet Influencer

When you’re looking for a new job, you probably focus on your resume, networking, and interview prep. But there’s another variable quietly influencing your search: your credit history.

Most potential employers can’t see your credit score. This is a numerical rating between 300 and 850 summarizing your credit history. It shows how well you manage debt.

But potential employers can access your credit report as part of a background check. This is a detailed record of your credit history compiled by credit bureaus like Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Credit information can signal to an employer how responsible you are with money. Late payments, maxed-out credit cards, or unpaid debts may make them think twice about hiring you.

What Employers See

Payment history: Whether you pay your bills on time
Credit card balances: How much debt you’re carrying
Outstanding loans: Student loans, personal loans, car loans, etc.
Public records: Bankruptcies, foreclosures, and accounts in collections

Why Employers Check Credit

If a job involves handling money, managing budgets, or accessing sensitive data, a credit check is a tool employers use to assess whether you can be trusted with financial or confidential responsibilities. A history of missed payments or financial trouble may be interpreted, fairly or not, as a sign you make poor decisions under pressure.

If you’re going for a position at a financial services company, then expect to get your credit report pulled. But any employer can include a credit check as part of a background screening.

How It Can Affect Your Job Search

Let’s say you’re applying for a role at a mid-size tech company as an operations lead. You’ve got a great resume and solid experience. But the role also involves managing budgets and vendor payments. If the company runs a credit check and sees you have a recent bankruptcy, it could lead to doubts about your financial reliability. This doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be rejected. But if the hiring manager is weighing two qualified candidates, your credit history could become a deciding factor.

You Have Rights

If a company plans to check your credit as part of a background screening, they must ask for your written permission first. If they decide not to hire you because of what they find in your credit report, they must notify you. You also have the right to know which report they used (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion), review it for errors, and dispute any inaccuracies so this won’t happen the next time you apply for a job.

What You Can Do Now

It’s not time to panic, but you do need to be aware of what’s on your credit report. Here are three things you can do today:

Check: Go to Annual Credit Report.com. You’re entitled to a free report from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) once a year. Check for errors, outdated info, or accounts you don’t recognize.

Improve: If you spot missed payments or high balances, prioritize making payments on time and pay down debt. Even small progress shows financial responsibility and may help your case if you’re asked about it during the hiring process.

Rehearse: If you know your credit history could raise red flags, prepare a brief, honest explanation. For example: “A few years ago, I had a medical emergency that affected my finances, but since then I’ve been steadily rebuilding and haven’t missed a payment in over 18 months.” This keeps the focus on how you took responsibility and what steps you’re still taking to improve.

How do you feel about the impact of your credit history on your career? Please share in the comments.

The Discomfort Zone

Every day you show up, log in, and face a mix of meetings, messages, and missions. One part of your brain is ready to tackle the day. Another part is whispering you’re not cut out for this, you’re falling behind, or someone is going to realize you don’t actually know what you’re doing. The hardest work isn’t always on your to-do list. Sometimes, it’s in your head.

Take Action

You’ve probably heard of Impostor Syndrome. It’s the feeling you’re one mistake away from being found out. SPOILER ALERT: Everyone is an impostor. No one knows everything. Successful people keep moving in spite of their fear. Let’s say you’ve been asked to lead a project that feels a little too big. You tell yourself someone else would be more qualified. You consider turning it down or waiting for a time when you feel more ready. That feeling you interpret as a red flag is actually a sign you’re growing. Don’t wait for it to disappear. Step forward and get past it. The next time you feel like an impostor, say this to yourself, “I feel uncertain, but that doesn’t mean I’m not capable.” Then take one small action: Send the kickoff email. Ask a question. Book the meeting. Build momentum before doubt has time to settle in.

Awkward Practice

Instead of comparing yourself to your coworker who seems to always have it all together, ask yourself, “Am I better today than I was yesterday?” Growth usually isn’t a big leap. It’s a series of small shifts. Let’s say you struggle with leading meetings. You freeze under pressure or feel awkward when the discussion goes off-track. Instead of waiting to magically become more confident, rehearse a few common scenarios. Script a few go-to phrases you can fall back on like: “Let’s pause for a second. What’s the main decision we need to make here?” Or “That’s a good point. How do you see that impacting the timeline?” Practice these out loud. When the moment comes, your brain won’t scramble for words because it will already have them. Also, when something feels uncomfortable or new, ask a curious question instead of retreating. For example: Instead of saying, “I don’t know how to do this,” try, “What’s the first thing I’d need to understand to make progress?” Curiosity shifts you from panic to problem-solving.

Be Brave

Scroll through LinkedIn and you’ll see perfect projects, prominent prizes, and polished personal brands. But you’re not seeing the stress, the edits, or the three failed drafts behind those posts. If you’re holding back at work because you’re worried about not having all the answers, that’s normal. But if you let that fear guide your decisions, you’ll stay stuck. To be productive you have to be brave enough to make mistakes out in the open. Let’s say you’re in a team meeting and someone suggests a direction you’re not sure will work. You have an idea, but it’s not fully formed. You can either stay quiet or speak up, knowing you may be wrong. Say something like: “That is very interesting. We should definitely consider that. And it makes me wonder (Insert the thing you’re wondering here.) Would that work?” You’re not pretending to be the expert. You’re starting a new conversation. That’s valuable. Also, give yourself permission to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” You build trust by owning your gaps instead of pretending you don’t have any.

How do you move through your discomfort zone at work? Please share in the comments.

Dark Empathy

A volunteer and I were troubleshooting the usual challenges an event brings when I said, “Misery loves company.” Without missing a beat, they replied, “Don’t be a misery partner.” This gave me pause. I wasn’t just expressing dissatisfaction. I was inviting someone into it. Is that the right thing to do? Misery loves company, but do you have to RSVP?

What It Really Means

You’ve probably heard the phrase before, but let’s be clear: “Misery loves company” means that unhappy people often look for others to share in their pain. Sometimes it’s about validation,“You feel this too, right?” Other times it’s darker. If someone is stuck in a bad mood it can feel comforting to pull others into the same mindset. Misery doesn’t just want to be seen. It wants companionship.

Why We Do It

Validation: Misery can feel isolating. Sharing it with someone makes it feel less lonely.

Mood-matching: If you’re angry or disillusioned, it can feel easier if the person next to you is too. Misery becomes a shared lens.

Identity Reinforcement: If you stay in that space long enough, you begin to expect and even seek out negative experiences. It becomes part of how you navigate work and relationships.

When It Becomes a Problem

In the short term, it feels good to vent. It builds rapport. It can even feel productive. But over time, it shifts from bonding to spiraling. For example: Let’s say you have a coworker who habitually wants to talk about how bad leadership is. Every team meeting, every direct message, it comes up. At first, you agree. But soon, you’re both repeating the same frustrations. Nothing changes. The venting doesn’t lead to clarity or action just mutual grievance. That’s misery partnering. When two or more people reinforce each other’s worst perspectives, you’re no longer helping each other process. You’re keeping each other stuck.

How to Spot It at Work

Misery partnering isn’t always loud. It can look like two coworkers grabbing coffee just to complain. It can happen in team group chats or in “just being real” sidebars. It drains your energy and clouds your decision-making. When your default mode is skepticism or complaint, even good ideas start to feel naive. You stop contributing. You play it safe. You protect your mood instead of doing your best work. If you experience any of these, then ask yourself:

Am I sharing this to feel better, or to feel right?
Does this conversation go in circles?
After we talk, do I feel lighter or more stuck?
Are we taking any action, or just blaming?

What You Can Do Instead

You don’t have to cut off every frustrated coworker and you don’t have to bottle things up. You do need to be mindful about how much airtime you’re giving to frustration and whether it’s helping. The next time a coworker starts spiraling, don’t pile on. Listen, but then steer. Ask what they need. Suggest one step forward.

Start with this mantra, “I can listen without absorbing. I can empathize without enabling. I can share my own frustrations without needing someone to sink with me.” Call it what it is: a moment, not a mindset. If you catch yourself being the one pulling others in, pause and ask yourself: “What do I actually want right now? Validation? Change? Relief?”

If you’re stuck in a loop with someone who’s always venting, try asking: “What are you thinking about doing next?” It’s a gentle nudge out of rumination and into action.

How do you avoid becoming a misery partner at work? Please share in the comments.

Take the Time

You take time off work for a vacation because it’s a culturally acceptable reason to rest and restore your body. But what about your brain? If your mind is overloaded, your work suffers. In conversations about taking a mental health day, I’ve heard opinions running the gamut from eye rolls to enthusiasm. Of course, this made me curious.

Why Take a Mental Health Day?

It’s like resting a strained muscle. Pushing through the discomfort doesn’t make you tougher, it wears you down. If you’re feeling mentally exhausted, overwhelmed, or unmotivated, this shows up in your work through mistakes, slow responses, or irritability. Would you trust your job performance after three nights of bad sleep and three days of nonstop Zoom calls? If you catch yourself zoning out in meetings, dreading small tasks, or struggling to care about the outcome of your work, it’s time to step away and reset. How often you take one depends on your workload. Does it regularly drain you? Then maybe quarterly is a good cadence. Do you usually need a break after an intense project? Then schedule one for immediately after delivery. Create a personal system that accommodates the pace of your work and makes it sustainable.

How Do You Request One?

Some people I spoke with worried taking time off for mental health would make them appear unreliable or weak. The good news is more organizations recognize that productivity depends on sustainable work habits. Unlike calling in sick with the flu, a mental health day is best planned ahead. Choose a day that doesn’t interfere with deadlines, major events, or key meetings and give your manager as much notice as possible. Communicate clearly and keep the focus on coverage and continuity.

If your workplace is supportive: Be direct. For example say, “I’d like to take a mental health day next Friday. I’ll make sure everything is on track before I’m out, and I’ll loop in [Teammate] on anything that might come up.” After your manager approves it, coordinate coverage of your projects. Let coworkers know who to contact while you’re out and make sure that person has all the resources they need. Offer to return the favor when they take a day off.

If not: Be indirect. Label your request the term your company uses for flexible paid time off. Usually it’s called a personal day or a vacation day. You don’t have to explain how you intend to use it. For example say, “I’d like to request a personal day for Thursday. My workload is covered and I’ll be back Friday.”

What Should You Do on One?

Nothing: Turn off your laptop. Watch a show. Lie on the couch. Do not feel guilty.

Spend time with people you like: Meet a friend for coffee or lunch. Visit a sibling. Talk to someone who doesn’t expect work talk. Social connection lowers stress and boosts mood.

Roam if you want to: Take a long walk, go to a hot-yoga class, or bike around your neighborhood. The goal is to boost your energy not your fitness.

Something just for you: Read a book. Cook a slow meal. Run errands you’ve been avoiding. Clear clutter. Anything that restores your sense of control.

Volunteer: Spend an hour helping someone else. This could be anything from packing food at a local pantry to helping a student learn to read. There are many local nonprofits who need help.

What is your take on a mental health day? Please share in the comments.

The Cantillon Effect

The conversations I’ve heard lately about the economy sent me down a research rabbit hole on the Cantillon Effect. I’ll share what I’ve learned then please tell us what you know.

The Cantillon effect explains why money is never neutral. When new money enters the economy, it doesn’t spread evenly. It flows first to certain industries like defense, healthcare, finance, and education. Workers and companies connected to these industries feel the benefits earlier. For example, more funding, higher salaries, and better job opportunities. But people on fixed incomes, salaried workers outside these sectors, and those relying on social programs feel the benefits last, if at all. Often, by the time the money reaches them, prices have already risen. In effect, they have less purchasing power than before. Understanding this dynamic can help you make better decisions about your job, your career moves, and your financial stability.

Why It Matters

It explains why some industries are hot and others stagnate.
When you see big hiring pushes or salary jumps in fields like healthcare technology, defense contracting, or fintech, that’s often a Cantillon effect in action. Those industries are closer to the new money. Meanwhile, other fields, especially those not directly connected to government contracts or major investment flows, may see slower growth.

It impacts your salary over time.
Even if you’re getting annual raises, inflation that hits after the first wave of money recipients means your purchasing power can shrink. You may feel like you’re working harder but falling behind financially.

It can influence layoffs and hiring freezes.
When new money stops flowing or shifts direction, industries further down the chain often get hit first. If you’re in a field far from these money sources, you may experience more volatility.

What It Can Look Like

Promotion and Raise Timing:
Colleagues in certain departments may get promotions or bigger raises faster than you because they’re tied to revenue streams boosted by new funding. For example, a sales team connected to healthcare clients may see rapid bonuses while you don’t.

Job Security:
If you’re a curriculum developer supporting education technology funded through federal grants, your job could feel more secure during times of economic uncertainty compared to your friend who works at a traditional publishing company.

Career Moves:
If you pivoted into cybersecurity for defense agencies after 2020, you are likely closer to “first money” flows. As a result, your salary is probably higher and your job more secure compared to your colleagues who stayed in less funded sectors.

What You Can Do

Pay attention to industry funding trends.
Stay informed about which industries are receiving large investments or government contracts. Sites like Crunchbase, Pitchbook, government spending reports, and business news can give you clues.

Choose employers carefully.
If you’re changing jobs, look at where the company’s revenue comes from. Organizations tied to heavily funded sectors are more likely to offer better raises and job stability.

Strengthen your negotiation skills.
Because salary bumps may lag inflation, you need to negotiate not just for raises but also for benefits that protect you. For example, stronger healthcare, remote work flexibility, and bonuses tied to company performance.

Keep your debt manageable.
Debt holders often benefit because inflation makes debt cheaper over time. But if you’re in an industry that’s slow to feel new money, you could get squeezed. Avoid overextending yourself.

Think two steps ahead.
Don’t just ask yourself, “Is this a good job today?” Also ask yourself, “Will this company/industry be close to new money flows two years from now?”

What do you know about the Cantillon Effect? Please share in the comments.

That’s Another Good Question

After last week’s article about good questions, the “Is It Worth Your T.E.A.M.” community had some good questions for me! I’m sharing them, along with examples, for the good of the group.

Common Question Concerns

How do you ask a technical question without sounding naive?
Focus on what you need to learn, not what you think you should already know.

“I’m still getting familiar with this. Will you please walk me through how it connects to X?”
“What’s the best resource to understand how this works?”

How do I ask my manager better questions during one-on-ones?

Ask about expectations, priorities, and growth. Avoid general “How am I doing?” questions. Be specific.

“What’s one area you think I could improve in this quarter?”
“Are there upcoming projects where I can take more ownership?”

How can I ask questions in a meeting without sounding like I’m showing off?
Focus on curiosity, not performance. Keep it brief, stay on topic, and avoid jargon.

“Will you please share the process of how you weighed the options before landing on this approach?”

How do I ask questions without putting someone on the spot?
Use softer language and offer space to think. This shows respect and lowers pressure.

“Would you be open to breaking down how you landed on this course of action?”
“Whenever you have a moment, I’d love your take on how this decision came together.”

How do I push back or ask challenging questions tactfully?
Lead with respect and aim for understanding, not debate.

“I see the benefits of this plan. What would you say are the trade-offs we should keep in mind?”
“Is there a reason we ruled out Option B? I just want to understand the full picture.”

What if I asked a question and it didn’t land well?
It happens. Don’t over-apologize. Clarify or follow up later.

“I realized I may not have been clear earlier. What I meant to ask was how the timeline impacts our testing phase.”

How do I ask better questions in time-pressured situations?
Be direct and results-focused. You don’t need context, just the information you need to act.

“Can I get a quick yes/no on whether we’re moving forward with the update today?”
“Is this blocking anything else on your end?”

How do I know when to stop asking questions?
Watch for signs like:

You’re getting short answers
The person repeats themselves
The person says, “Let me follow up later”
You’re starting to ask things you could find yourself

At that point, pause, thank them, and pivot:

“Thanks, that’s helpful. I’ll take a look at what’s documented and come back if needed.”

Practice

Asking good questions helps you make better use of your time, understand your work more clearly, and build stronger relationships. Like any skill, it improves with practice. Here are a few things you can do right away:

Rewrite one vague question you ask often. Make it clearer and more specific
During your next meeting, ask one thoughtful follow-up
Practice active listening: Summarize what you heard before asking a follow-up
Ask one question at a time
After a presentation, ask a “what’s next” question to keep things moving

Do you have a good follow-up question for the community? Please share it in the comments.

That’s a Good Question

Asking the right questions makes your job easier and your work more effective. Good questions help you make better decisions, manage your time, and build trust with your team. Poor questions, on the other hand, lead to confusion, delays, and missed details. So what makes a question “good”? How do you ask questions in a way that’s helpful and not annoying?

Characteristics of a Good Question

Good questions are clear, specific, relevant to the task or discussion, and invite a useful response. They respect people’s time and knowledge. You ask them with a goal in mind, like one of these:

Understand context or details affecting your work
Avoid misunderstandings
Move projects forward
Spot roadblocks early
Stay aligned
Build rapport with coworkers

Types of Good Questions

Knowing what type of question to ask in different situations helps you get better answers. Here are a few types followed by examples.

Open-ended questions: Invite thoughtful responses. These are useful when you want to gather input or explore options. “What are some ways we could improve this process?”
Clarifying questions: Help confirm your understanding and avoid assumptions. “When you say ‘onboarding,’ are you referring to new employees or new clients?”
Follow-up questions: Show you’re paying attention and take the discussion deeper. “You mentioned a budget issue. Can you please say more about that?”
Critical thinking questions: Challenge ideas constructively and move conversations forward or uncover gaps. “What would happen if we removed that step entirely?”
Technical questions: Dig into tools, systems, or data. “What triggers that alert in the CRM, and can we adjust the threshold?”

General Best Practices

Ask one question at a time. If you ask three things at once you’ll usually only get one answer.
Be specific, not narrow. Narrow: “What’s the deal with this project?” Specific: “Can you update me on the status of the content handoff for this project?”
Don’t interrupt. Restrain yourself from jumping in with a follow-up question until the speaker finishes their answer.
Be an active listener. Listen to understand, not just to reply. Show you’re engaged by making eye contact, giving short verbal cues (e.g., “Got it,” “Makes sense”), and base your follow-up questions on what you actually heard.

Specific Best Practices

For casual conversation, like chatting with a coworker in the hallway or sending a Slack message, ask one question at a time:

“Hey, I saw the metrics doc. Can you please walk me through what changed in Q2?”
“What’s the best way to submit a travel request?”

At meetings stick to clear, short questions that move the discussion forward:

“Can you please share how this decision impacts our timelines?”
“What’s the biggest risk we haven’t talked about yet?”

After a presentation ask for deeper detail or next steps:

“Thanks for the overview. Could you please say more about how you calculated ROI?”
“If we want to get involved in that pilot, what’s the first step?”

During a negotiation good questions help uncover flexibility or constraints:

“What leeway do we have in the timeline?”
“If we adjust the scope, would that affect the price?”

In remote settings (Zoom, Teams, email) be direct and specific:

“Can you please clarify what’s expected by Friday and what can wait?”
“I’d appreciate a quick example of what a ‘successful submission’ looks like.”

Asking better questions isn’t about sounding smart. It’s about being curious, respectful, and intentional. Because that’s what builds trust, clarity, and momentum at any job, on any level, in any field.

What is your favorite good question? Please share in the comments.

Completion Anxiety

Are you unable to step away from work until every task is checked off your to-do list and every email answered? Do you often think, “I have all these things to do and I can’t get any one of them DONE.”? This relentless drive may be more than dedication. It could be Completion Anxiety (CA).

What Is CA?

Completion Anxiety is the persistent fear of not finishing tasks or not meeting set standards. It causes stress and impedes your productivity.

What Does It Feel Like?

Overwhelmed: You feel swamped by your number of tasks or nervous about your incomplete work.
Restless: Not completing every item on your daily to-do list makes you irritable at the end of the day.
Sick: You get frequent headaches at work or at lunch time you realize you’ve been clenching your muscles all morning.
Unfocused: You can’t concentrate on the task in front of you because you’re worried about all your other unfinished tasks. You are too paralyzed to do anything so you procrastinate.
Perfectionistic: You’re afraid your work is subpar so you try again, but striving for perfection results in missed deadlines.
Dodgy: You avoid tasks that give you stress but the unfinished work doesn’t go away it just accumulates.
Exhausted: The constant pressure you put on yourself to finish projects leaves you burned out and unmotivated.
Tense: Every ding of an email notification stresses you out because you’re nervous you either won’t respond promptly enough or it means another task has been added to your to-do list.

What Can You Do About It?

Confine: Define specific work hours and stick to them. At some point during the last half of your workday, identify tasks that can wait until the next workday. Striving for completion is commendable, but not at the expense of your well-being.
Prioritize: Which tasks are urgent? Which tasks are important? Work a lot on completing the urgent and a little on the important. Schedule time on your calendar to work more on the important later in the week.
Good Enough: Done is better than perfect. Remind yourself perfection isn’t always necessary. Shift your focus from getting every detail absolutely right to making steady progress toward delivering a competent and sufficient result.
Divide: Breaking tasks into smaller steps makes them more manageable and less daunting. Take breaks between completing one step and starting the next.
Celebrate: Recognize your achievements. Acknowledging your completed tasks builds confidence and reduces anxiety. The celebration can be as small as moving a task from your to-do list to your is-done list.
Limit: Allocate specific timeframes to each task to prevent overextending yourself. Sometimes you stare at a project for so long it stops making sense and you doubt yourself. Save your work and come back to it a little later with fresh eyes.
Feedback: Get your work to a minimum viable product then get your manager’s input. This should help reduce your tendency to overwork. Your manager decides when a task meets the required standards. If your work gives them all they need, move on to the next project. If not, clarify what else needs done and keep working on it.

How do you combat Completion Anxiety? Please share in the comments.