What do you do if your workload is overwhelming and you need to prioritize tasks in relationship building?

Often my workload overwhelms my desk making me have to limit people engagement and networking. Limiting my schedule impacts more than my clock - it impacts essentially my "why" for even recruiting which is "being of service to others". My "why" is tied to my peace of mind and work/life balance - my mental health. So in order to "right my ship" and get back on track with healthy live/work daily habits I've learned to stop immediately and not quit altogether but "rest." I shut my eyes and I drift into a 45-60 minute power nap to ease stress. Also, every morning I focus my mind on this statement. "Begin with the end in mind." I think through the chain of events from back to front that need to happen. I then re-start to take charge of my day.

Assessing urgency involves evaluating tasks based on their time sensitivity and potential impact on relationships. Consider deadlines, commitments, and the immediate needs of stakeholders. Tasks requiring immediate attention to prevent negative consequences or maintain trust should be prioritized. Remember to balance urgency with importance, focusing on tasks that contribute most to fostering strong relationships in the long term.

When you're swamped with work but still need to focus on building relationships, setting boundaries becomes essential. Start by identifying which tasks are vital for nurturing connections in the innovation industry. Communicate these boundaries clearly to your colleagues to ensure they understand your priorities. Don't hesitate to delegate less important tasks and negotiate deadlines to free up time for relationship-building activities. By sticking to these boundaries, you can maintain a healthier balance between work and personal connections, ensuring sustainability in your professional life.

In my experience when my workload becomes overwhelming or too many actions coming through, I always find taking a step back prioritising what needs to be done asap and delegating some activities that maybe a lesser priority. By delegating some tasks it will free you up to actually focus on the important things and give you time to reflect on putting together stronger work practices in the future.

Relationship building while overwhelmed with work may be quite challenging as building relationship may take time as well. Just like prioritizing work we need to prioritize relationships. We can identify the low hanging fruits and then understand who among them is our priority. Within the limited time allocate most time for the priority first and allocate rest of the time accordingly. Identifying the right person needs to be driven by our purpose which can creat a win win situation.