Work – mardihumphreys.com

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.

Wobbly Wealth

Financial security feels like a moving target. Variables like student loan payments, the cost of living, and the pressure to keep up with a certain lifestyle can quietly erode long-term financial stability. With layoffs hitting formerly stable industries, your job may leave you before you leave it. Are you earning a solid paycheck but still feel financially vulnerable? Maybe you’re making subtle mistakes that limit your future security. Here are some examples.

Overlooking Workplace Benefits

Many employers offer financial perks beyond salary, like 401(k) matching, health savings accounts (HSAs), and tuition reimbursement.

Why it’s dangerous: Ignoring these benefits means missing out on free money. A 401(k) match is essentially a guaranteed return on your savings, and HSAs provide tax advantages that lower your overall expenses.

Why it happens: You’re busy, and HR paperwork isn’t exciting. You assume these benefits aren’t significant or you think you’ll get around to it later.

How to avoid it:

Review – Check what benefits are available once a year. If you’re unsure, ask for help. A quick email to HR could mean thousands of extra dollars over time.
Prioritize employer-matching programs – If your company matches 401(k) contributions up to 5%, contribute at least that much. It’s free money.
One step to take now – Log into your benefits portal and confirm you’re maximizing employer-matching contributions.

Letting Your Emotions Drive Financial Decisions

It’s easy to justify splurging on an expensive vacation because your coworkers travel often. Emotional spending will quietly drain your long-term security.

Why it’s dangerous: Money is a tool, not a status symbol. Decisions driven by emotions often lead to overspending, poor investments, and unnecessary stress.

Why it happens: Social comparison is real, and financial decisions often feel personal. Without clear financial goals, it’s easy to react rather than plan.

How to avoid it:

Detach – Just because colleagues upgrade their cars or take luxury trips doesn’t mean you have to.
Set clear goals – Figure out what financial independence looks like for you and make decisions that align with your vision.
Pause – If a financial decision feels urgent or emotional, give yourself 24 hours to reconsider.
One step to take now – Review your last five discretionary purchases. Were they based on needs, long-term goals, or impulse? Adjust your behavior accordingly.

Taking on Too Much Debt

Some debt, like student loans or a mortgage, can be strategic. But excessive consumer debt will sabotage your financial progress.

Why it’s dangerous: Interest payments eat into future income, making it harder for you to save and invest. High debt loads also reduce financial flexibility if you’re laid off or have an expensive emergency.

Why it happens: You assume a higher income means you can afford higher expenses. Easy credit approval tempts you to finance purchases rather than save for them.

How to avoid it:

Differentiate between good and bad debt – A mortgage or business loan can be an investment. A car loan for a luxury vehicle is not.
Live below your means – Just because you qualify for a high credit limit doesn’t mean you should use it.
Pay off high-interest debt first – Prioritize credit card debt and other high-interest loans to free up future income.
One step to take now – Check your total monthly debt payments. If more than 30% of your income goes toward non-mortgage debt, create a plan to reduce it.

What do you do to secure your financial future? Please share in the comments.

Quarterly Contemplation

Reflection isn’t just about looking back. It’s about using the insights you discover to build a better future. When you assess what went well, where you struggled, and what you need to change, you can head into the second quarter of the year with clarity and purpose. Reflections are a powerful way to rest, reset, and refocus. Here are some prompts to get you reflecting on the work you did during the last three months.

How did I contribute to my team’s success?

Assess your collaboration. What strengths did you use? How can you better leverage them? What areas for continuous improvement presented themselves? For example, if you were instrumental in keeping a remote team connected, you may want to focus on expanding your leadership skills.

Who supported me and how can I express gratitude?

Make a list of the people who made your life easier. How did they do it? For example, did they introduce you to one of their connections who is now a potential client? Invest in your key professional relationships by acknowledging those who helped you. A quick thank-you email or LinkedIn endorsement can go a long way.

How does my work align with my long-term career goals?

Confirm you’re moving in the right direction. How does your current role support your aspirations? If it doesn’t, small changes, like taking on stretch assignments, can get you on track.

What skills do I need to stay relevant in my field?

Be a life-long learner. Technology accelerates every industry and keeping up with it is mandatory. What are one or two skills, like learning a new software tool or improving your public speaking, you’d like to learn? Identify competencies that could significantly impact your career trajectory.

Did I set boundaries effectively?

Evaluate your work-life integration. It’s crucial for long-term productivity. What boundaries did you set and maintain, like unplugging after work or saying no to non-essential tasks? Adjusting your approach can help prevent burnout.

What relationships did I build?

Nurture your network. Relationships are essential for career growth. Whom did you meet that connected you with a valuable opportunity? Whom did you support by introducing them to a resource? Plan to reach out to at least one loose-tie contact next month.

What are my goals for Q2?

Plan for the future. What do you want to achieve in the next three months? Get out your Atta Baby! folder. Did the compliment come from completing an assignment you enjoyed? How can you get another one of those? Doing work you enjoy helps you stay motivated.

Next Steps

Schedule quarterly check-ins with yourself to revisit your goals and progress. Treat these like personal performance reviews to stay accountable.
Enroll in a LinkedIn Learning course or an in-person workshop to address a specific skill gap.
Set up a system, like a weekly reflection habit, to keep your goals top of mind.
Celebrate your progress. Acknowledge incremental improvements as wins. It keeps you motivated and reinforces your positive habits.

What prompts do you suggest? Please share in the comments.

Normalize Uncertainty

At work, some of the biggest stressors: Should you take a new job? Should you ask for a raise? Should you choose a different direction for this project? boil down to the same challenge: committing to one path and letting go of the others. That’s why it feels hard. If you’re still holding on to every possible option, you haven’t made a decision. And while keeping your options open feels safe, it keeps you stuck.

For Example: Let’s say you’re a marketing manager leading a product launch. You have three possible campaigns: one focused on social media, one on influencer partnerships, and one on email marketing. Instead of committing to one, you keep tweaking all three. The launch date creeps closer, but you don’t finalize a direction. The result? Your scattered approach dilutes the launch’s impact. If you don’t make the decision, reality will. Deadlines will rush your efforts or leadership will step in and decide for you. Either way, avoiding the decision doesn’t make things easier. It just adds stress.

Never Enough

No matter how much research you do before making a decision you’ll never have 100% certainty about the outcome. In his book, It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership by Colin Powell with Tony Koltz, retired General Colin Powell suggested making decisions when you have 40–70% of the information you need. Because waiting longer often means missing the opportunity altogether. If you’re considering a job offer but waiting for absolute certainty it’s the right move, then the offer may expire or a competitor may take the role.

For Example: Let’s say you’re a senior data analyst debating whether to implement a new reporting system. You will never know all the possible outcomes in advance. But you can gather key details: cost, integration time, team workload, then make the best choice with the information you have.

Change Feels Hard, Indecision Feels Worse

One reason decisions feel difficult is because they involve change. Humans naturally resist change until the discomfort of staying the same outweighs the discomfort of doing something different.

For Example: Let’s say you stick to manual research instead of using AI to speed up data gathering because the switch feels overwhelming. Then you find your workload without AI increasing and your competitors who do use AI are moving faster. Suddenly you are behind and need to catch up. At that point, the pain of resisting AI becomes greater than the pain of adapting.

Avoiding a Decision IS a Decision

Not choosing is still choosing. If you don’t decide whether to ask for a raise, you’re deciding to keep your current salary. If you don’t choose between two career paths, you’re letting your current trajectory continue by default. When you actively make a choice, you take control. When you let decisions happen to you, then you’re at the mercy of circumstances.

Make the Decision then Make the Decision Work

Instead of fixating on whether you made the perfect decision, focus on moving forward. If you decide to take a job, focus on excelling at it. If you ask for a raise, be prepared to justify it with your accomplishments. If you choose a project direction, back it with execution, not second-guessing. That’s how progress happens.

How do you make decisions? Please share in the comments.

Get SMART

I’m a fan of S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals. They were introduced in the November 1981 issue of Management Review by George T. Doran in his article, “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives.” Forty-four years later, are they still effective?

Why S.M.A.R.T. Goals Still Matter

Focus: Without a clear objective, it’s easy to get distracted or overwhelmed. S.M.A.R.T. goals define what success looks like for you.
Motivation: A deadline creates urgency. When goals are specific and time-bound, you’re more likely to take action rather than procrastinate.
Measurability: If you can’t track it, you can’t improve it. Measurable goals ensure you recognize progress and adjust when needed.
Achievability: Setting goals that stretch you but are still possible prevents burnout and frustration.
Versatility: Whether you’re managing time, switching careers, or improving work-life integration, S.M.A.R.T. goals help you navigate challenges by providing structure and clarity. You don’t have to overhaul your entire approach overnight. Small, consistent steps will lead to big results over time. Let’s look at these three common situations and how S.M.A.R.T. goals get results.

Managing Your Workload

Do you struggle with an overwhelming number of tasks? A vague goal like “be more productive” doesn’t help. Instead, apply the S.M.A.R.T. method:

Specific – “Reduce the number of unfinished tasks at the end of each week by prioritizing three key tasks daily.”
Measurable – Use a spreadsheet (or a task management App) to track completed vs. pending tasks.
Achievable – Ensure the three tasks are realistic given your workload.
Relevant – Align your priorities with your role’s most important deliverables.
Time-bound – Set a four-week deadline to evaluate whether this approach is improving your productivity.
Immediate Action – Start tomorrow by identifying three priority tasks for the day and reviewing your progress at the end of the week.

Navigating a Career Transition

Are you aiming for a promotion or switching industries? A vague goal like “find a better job” doesn’t lead to results. Try this:

Specific – “Apply to 10 roles in my target field and schedule two networking conversations per month.”
Measurable – Keep track of your job search on a spreadsheet to monitor applications, interviews, and responses.
Achievable – Target companies where your skills match at least 70% of the job requirements.
Relevant – Ensure these steps align with your career aspirations.
Time-bound – Set a three-month deadline to secure interviews and reassess your strategy if needed.
Immediate Action – Spend 30 minutes today identifying job roles that align with your career goals and updating your LinkedIn profile.

Work-Life Integration

Does work spill into your personal time? Setting boundaries requires a concrete plan. A vague goal like “work less” doesn’t stop you from working less. Try making it a S.M.A.R.T goal:

Specific – “Log off by 6:30 PM at least four days a week and avoid checking emails after hours.”
Measurable – Use a time-tracking App to monitor your work hours.
Achievable – Start with four days a week instead of aiming for a full work-life overhaul at once.
Relevant – This goal aligns with maintaining mental well-being while still being effective at work.
Time-bound – Reassess in six weeks to see if you’re more recharged and productive.
Immediate Action – Set an end-of-day reminder on your calendar to log off at your designated time today.

What’s one goal you can refine into a S.M.A.R.T. goal today? Please share in the comments.

Wave Goodbye

You’ve spent years building your career, learning new skills, and proving yourself at work. Despite your efforts, promotions pass you by, your work goes unnoticed, and you struggle to find a sponsor who will advocate for you. Should you stay and keep grinding, or is it time to move on?

You have a steady paycheck so it’s tempting to stay put and the fear of wasting your past efforts can keep you stuck. There is a name for this fear. It’s called the sunk cost fallacy. You hesitate to quit because you’ve invested so heavily in this career. But the reality is your past investment is gone. The only decision that matters is whether your future investment of more time and effort is likely to pay off.

How To Know

Promotions: You’re consistently refused advancement even when you exceed expectations. You receive good performance reviews, but leadership passes you over for less experienced colleagues.

Sponsorship: No one in leadership advocates for you. Your requests for a seat at the table are denied. No one brings you up for high-visibility projects in rooms you are not in. Without internal support your career growth is limited.

Value: You take on high-impact projects, but your contributions are undervalued, dismissed, or worse, credited to someone else.

Progression: Your path to development is blocked. When you ask about career growth with the organization you get vague answers or are told to “be patient.”

Autopilot: A single bad year doesn’t mean it’s time to quit, but If you’re no longer challenged or learning, then you’re just wasting time.

How to Reframe

Mindset: Shift from feeling like a failure to believing that your sunk cost is the tuition you paid for future success.

Evergreen: Your experience is not wasted. If you change jobs or even your career path, then your skills, knowledge, and relationships will still benefit you.

Recover: You don’t have to earn back your investment in the same place. If you’re underpaid or undervalued, staying won’t magically fix that. You can earn lost money back in a better role.

How to Avoid

Goals: Set clear career goals. Think about what your next level is and evaluate whether your job is helping you get there.

Track: Keep a record of your achievements and impact. This is your “Atta Baby!” folder. It is the file you keep on your desktop with all the documentation of the praise, recognition, and thank you emails you receive. Its purpose is to help you advocate for promotions and negotiate future opportunities.

Assess: Every six months, ask yourself: Am I growing? Am I being recognized? Am I satisfied? If not, adjust your course before your trajectory feels stunted.

Plan: If you realize your job is a dead end, don’t quit impulsively. Strategically plan your exit.

How to Prepare

Network: Connect with industry peers, attend events, and reach out to former colleagues. The best opportunities often come through relationships, especially weak ties, not job boards.

Upskill: While you’re still employed take online courses, get certifications, or volunteer at a nonprofit organization where you can work on projects that build the skills you need for your next role.

Money: Build a financial cushion so you don’t feel pressured to take the first offer that comes along.

What have you done to move past your sunk costs? Please share in the comments.

Start Me Up

Last week while talking about how to deal with some possible repercussions when you set boundaries around your time at work, I made this statement: “The workplace rewards immediate responses and multitasking. (BTW, multitasking is a myth. Do NOT get me started.)” A few subscribers took that as a challenge and, well, here we are. It’s been five years since we talked about multitasking. Let’s revisit this topic and see what’s changed.

What Hasn’t Changed

Multitasking feels like you’re getting more done, but research shows the opposite. When you switch rapidly between tasks, your brain struggles to maintain focus, which not only degrades the quality of your work over time, but also negatively impacts your mental health.

The brain’s working memory is like a mental clipboard, temporarily storing information as you work. When you constantly switch tasks, you don’t give your brain enough time to process and properly store that information. Research from the American Psychological Association indicates constant interruptions reduce working memory capacity, ultimately impairing learning and the ability to retain crucial information.

For example, let’s say you’re updating an inventory report while also handling a customer’s question over the phone. Your fragmented attention means not only do you struggle to answer the customer’s question to their satisfaction, but you may mess up the inventory report too.

It isn’t just about errors. Multitasking has a significant impact on your physical and mental well-being. When you try to multitask throughout the day you experience higher levels of cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, which raises your blood pressure. The cumulative stress from constant task switching can lead to chronic anxiety, reduced job satisfaction, and physical health issues.

So, it’s important to understand the trade-offs. While multitasking seems to boost your productivity, studies show the brain’s constant task switching actually results in slowing your productivity because it impedes your attention and comprehension. When you concentrate on one task at a time, you get more done, reduce errors, and improve the overall quality of your work.

What Has

Multitasking often involves you responding to notifications from email, instant messaging, and phone calls while working on a project. Some tech companies acknowledged this challenge and introduced tools designed specifically to help you focus. Apple’s Focus Mode, Windows 11’s Focus Assist, Slack’s “Do Not Disturb” settings, and Microsoft Teams’ quiet time features make it easier to protect your deep work sessions. These tools aren’t magic bullets. They require discipline. But when used consistently, they help create an environment where distractions are minimized allowing for more sustained concentration and better quality work. Even a short period of uninterrupted focus leads to measurable improvement in your efficiency and job satisfaction.

Strategies to Reduce Negative Impact

Eliminate: In addition to using focus-assisting tools, turn off non-essential notifications or set your workspace to “do not disturb” mode during critical work periods.

Prioritize: Start each workday by identifying the single most important task that will drive your work forward and do it. Make it non-negotiable.

Establish: Set expectations with colleagues about response times. For example, designate specific hours for checking emails rather than reacting immediately.

Adopt: Moving away from multitasking isn’t just about getting more work done. It’s about producing higher quality output while maintaining your mental and physical health. Adopting a monotasking mindset makes you more productive and your work environment less stressful.

What works for you? Please share in the comments.

The Priority the Sequel

After last week’s discussion around framing time management as self-respect, I received some good questions: “What do I do about the guilt I feel for saying no?” “What do I do about pushback?” “What if I miss out on a golden opportunity?” Let’s explore some answers.

Guilt

You may feel guilty about declining tasks or invitations to join project teams because you worry saying no will make you appear unhelpful or it will damage your relationships with your managers. But saying yes to everything spreads your energy too thin and makes you less effective in the tasks that are important.

Try: Shift your mindset. Saying no to low-priority work isn’t about avoiding responsibility. It’s about ensuring you contribute your best work to what really matters. Intentionally prioritize tasks based on their impact on your organization’s mission and their alignment with your role.

For example: If a team lead asks you to sit in on a meeting that doesn’t directly involve your work, you might say, “I’d love to help where I can. Will you please send me a summary of the key takeaways instead? That way, I can focus on my current deadlines while staying informed.” This approach keeps you engaged without overloading your schedule.

Pushback

The workplace rewards immediate responses and multitasking. (BTW, multitasking is a myth. Do NOT get me started.) This makes it difficult to set boundaries. When you start managing your time more effectively, you will face resistance from coworkers and/or managers who expect you to be available at all times.

Try: Set clear, realistic expectations with your team. If you need uninterrupted time to focus on deep work, then proactively communicate. For example, when you’re working on a report let your team know you’ll be offline for two hours and will check messages afterward.

For example: If a manager frequently assigns last-minute tasks, try saying, “I can take this on, but it will push back my other deadlines. Which task would you like me to prioritize?” This puts the decision back in their hands while reinforcing that your time is limited.

FOMO

You overcommit because you worry turning something down may mean missing a career-changing opportunity. Some opportunities are time-sensitive, but saying yes to everything prevents you from focusing on what best aligns with your long-term goals.

Try: Get clear on your priorities. If an opportunity excites you but doesn’t align with your goals, it may not be the right one.

For example: If you’re invited to join an extra project that sounds interesting but doesn’t directly contribute to your career path, you could say, “This sounds like a great initiative! Right now, I need to focus on my core projects, but I’d love to be considered for similar opportunities in the future.” This keeps the door open while ensuring you don’t overextend yourself.

Experiments

Before accepting a meeting request, ask for an agenda. If there isn’t one, ask what’s expected of you. If they can’t define your role, the meeting may be an email.
Limit open-ended commitments. If someone asks for help, instead of saying, “Sure, I can do that,” try, “I have time for a quick 15-minute call, would that help?” This keeps your contribution focused.
At the end of each workday, take a moment to evaluate: What did I accomplish today? What tasks drained my time unnecessarily? What changes can I make tomorrow to work more efficiently? Reflection ensures you continuously refine your time management approach based on what’s working and what isn’t.

How do you deal with workplace boundary encroachments? Please share in the comments.

The Priority

Meetings pile up, emails flood in, and by the end of the workday, you’ve spent more time reacting than making intentional choices. What if managing your time Isn’t just about productivity? What if it’s an act of self-respect?

The Reasoning

Value: When you prioritize your schedule, you send a message that your time is valuable and should be used purposefully. Research from ScienceDirect.com shows that people who set clear boundaries around their time experience greater job satisfaction and overall well-being.

Self-Care: Just like you care for your physical health by eating well and exercising, managing your time is a form of self-care. A study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that employees who have control over their schedules experience lower stress levels and higher engagement.

Benefits

Better Mental Health: When you take control of your schedule, you reduce feelings of being overwhelmed. A report by the American Psychological Association found that time-related stress contributes significantly to burnout. By allocating time for work, rest, and personal activities, you maintain a healthier mental state.

Increased Job Satisfaction: Prioritizing tasks that align with your goals and values makes your work more meaningful. Research from Happy Companies indicates that employees who spend more time on meaningful tasks report higher job satisfaction and are more likely to stay engaged in their roles.

Stronger Sense of Self-Worth: Making deliberate choices about how you spend your time shows you believe your goals and well-being are important. This leads to greater confidence and resilience at work.

Prioritize

Review: At the beginning of each workday, take a few minutes to review and prioritize your tasks. Identify the top three most important things you want to get done and work on those first, preferably uninterrupted.

Technology: Use apps like digital calendars, task management tools, and reminders to keep track of your schedule and commitments. Tools like Asana, Trello, or even a spreadsheet can help you stay organized and focused.

Boundaries: Through status messages or direct conversations, communicate your availability to your coworkers and managers. Let them know the best times to reach you and when you need uninterrupted time to focus.

Rest: Schedule short breaks throughout your day to recharge. This not only boosts productivity but also respects your need for downtime. You may find The Pomodoro Technique useful. It suggests 25 minutes of work followed by a 5-minute break.

Calls to Action

Delegate: Thinking you have to do everything yourself is a trap. A study by the American Management Association found organizations who delegate well have a 30% increase in productivity. Learn to trust colleagues and delegate tasks that don’t require your direct involvement.

Say No: It’s hard to say no to projects you find attractive, but pause and assess whether a request aligns with your goals before committing. A 2024 study from Mental Health America found that professionals who confidently say no experience lower stress levels and higher job performance.

Manage Decision Fatigue: Decision fatigue is real, and it drains your mental energy. A study published in PNAS found that judges make less favorable rulings later in the day due to decision fatigue. The same thing applies to you. Automate minor decisions, like meal planning or outfit choices, to free up mental space for more important work-related decisions.

What’s one small change you can make today to respect your time? Please share in the comments.