To ask for help to manage tasks? Can't stay on top of work since return from mat leave, worried about job

[worriedmama1980]

I've been back in work from maternity leave for a few months and things are beginning to fall apart at the seams.

Basically, I am good at/able to do all the 'tasks' my job requires, but completely incapable of finding a system that enables me to stay on top of them.

I manage two people, am responsible for finance (not a finance person), and also do a lot of the actual 'work', planning, external relationships, etc etc. It's a small office and so a wide-ranging role. I have always managed, just about, by doing extra in the evenings/weekends but I just can't manage that with a non-sleeping toddler and it's not sustainable anyway.

I basically need a system for reminding myself of tasks, where I'm meant to be, linking them with projects so I know what's due next. I've read David Allen's Getting Things Done which feels like it should work, but we use google in work (gmail and google drive) and I haven't yet figured out how to integrate it.

I am pretty sure I have dyspraxia, though I've never been formally diagnosed, a manager in a previous role (at a much much larger organisation) supported me with exploring this. I can do the substance of my role much quicker than a lot of people but the basic organisation/remembering is way behind what is 'normal'.

If you balance workload and home life and aren't a super organised person by nature (I generally have 100 documents saved to desktop, so many windows open on my internet browser to act as prompts I eventually crashes, to give you a sense of my baseline).... how do you do it?! I want to spend the Christmas break putting some things in place so I start 2020 confident and organised, but not sure how to go about it. I'm quite worried my direct reports are going to start losing respect for me if they haven't already and if things continue like this I worry for the future.

Can you set up a Slack channel? Do you know Slack?

No, I've never heard of slack. Is it an app?

I use an app called Todoist for my own workload but depending on who else needs to be involved you might want to look at Trello. Or investigate Google Calendar and other functionality within Google.

What are the 100 docs on your desktop??

You need to find project / diary management software that works for you. I just use Outlook - organise all my emails in to folders and use the tasks functionality to plan my day. I've also used BaseCamp in the past which works well - FreedCamp is a free version. And I use ToDoIst in my personal life and it's good too, plus it syncs with Google calendar and you can sort by project. Others swear by Trello but it's a bit chaotic for me and I liked to have my to dos dated so I don't get overwhelmed and can focus on one day at a time. I also follow the 3 minute manager - if something comes up which will take less than 3 minutes I do it there and then - if not I file it away and add it to my to do list for a suitable point in the future.

I have basically no short term memory so I have to write down everything and these methods keep me sane.

@nanbread they're generally things I'm working on but aren't final/can't get around to filing/I've been working on them my computer has crashed because too many screens are open and then I'm not sure if they were saved so I resave them meaning to check....

A colleague swears by trello, I used it or tried to organising my wedding and found it clunky but that was a few years ago. Some great ideas I haven't heard of here, I guess the main thing is to pick something I know I can use and stick with it.

Have you read anything about dyspraxia and recommendations for keeping yourself organised?

The key is finding what works for you personally. If you take advice from anyone, find another chronically disorganised person and ask them what works - no point asking a naturally organised person.

I'm dyslexic and dyspraxic so this does not come naturally to me. I know I am working harder to stay organised than other people do. I've tried so many different things and finally found one that works. I understand why you keep browser windows open etc but it's inefficient and, as you have found, unreliable and unsustainable. Some things I do are:

Using calendar to block out time for specific tasks - for instance I manage two customer inboxes so I block out a bit of time every day for each one. When it's "that time", I put aside what I was doing and concentrate my whole attention on that task. If I have a big, specific one off task to do I do the same. It also stops people from disturbing me so much as they can see in my calendar it is x time.

Writing a to do list at the end of each day for the next day. That helps me make sure I complete everything I need to. It also stops me worrying overnight that I might have missed something. Personally I need my to do list to be on paper and in front of me - electronic ones don't work for me.

Using tasks function in email to keep track of where I am with something. For instance when I did casework I used to have a separate task for each case. Each time I did something on it I would briefly summarise the action so next time I knew where I left off.

Working at home - I ring-fence specific tasks for wfh days (2x weekly usually) - I choose the tasks that need the most concentration.

If I'm really busy or distracted in the office I move away from my desk for an hour to sit somewhere quiet and catch up with myself. It's ok to ask people not to disturb you for a while.

Take a look at wrike

(I generally have 100 documents saved to desktop, so many windows open on my internet browser to act as prompts I eventually crashes

Yes this is me too, also every email that I still need to reply to is open and then there’s the mini post-it system on my monitor

My DD has ADHD and I think I possibly have it too- have you looked at that?

Slack is like Trello....sort of, but it's cleaner and simpler. Also OP, are you delegating enough?