Leadership FAQs — October — Managing the Feeling of Overwhelm
One Friday each month, I dedicate the post to looking at some questions I have heard recently from developing leaders. Sharing those questions and my thoughts for them is a way for me to spread the information to as many leaders and future leaders as possible. If you have a question about leadership, or just a situation you would like some additional insight on, please email me at Effective Retail Leader. Let’s take a look at this week’s question.
I have previously addressed the feeling of overwhelm in other articles. At the end of this article, I am providing some additional links to those articles and other resources that can be useful. This feeling of being overwhelmed is reaching a peak for many leaders in retail right now. The challenges of staffing, maintaining a team, and supporting a business (that in many cases is growing faster than in many years) is putting a lot of pressure on every leader.
Planning is a key step to managing the feeling of being overwhelmed. Separating urgent items from non-urgent is step one. Then recognizing what is important and not important becomes a close step two. Blending those together rounds out your three steps of prioritizing and creating a relief valve for all you have on your plate. Commonly referred to as an Eisenhower Matrix, defining your urgent and important items will help to manage time better and allow you to see everything in one place, neatly prioritized.
With a solid list of what needs to happen and with them properly framed in buckets of urgent or important, you can build your plan of how you can accomplish them. Having a plan helps to relieve the immediate stress, and considering how you can utilize your time throughout the week differently can also ensure you have the right energy levels for the right work. It can also ensure you don’t lose sight of what is important to you and your team.
You need to evaluate the week as you go and reassess the situation. Make a few minutes each day to review your plan and make minor course corrections as needed. Here are some other considerations to help manage your time and your feelings of being overwhelmed.
Daily Updates
I am sure everyone’s week always goes exactly as planned. Right? Of course not, this is retail. That means that even the best of plans at the beginning of the week will look a little different as the week progresses. Schedule yourself a short time each day to review where you are, and what comes next. I would recommend taking time at the end of each day to consider the current day and how that progressed, and then make updates as needed for the next day. Perhaps as you complete your final visit for the day, you spend some time in your car, at a coffee shop, or as soon as you get home to update what needs to happen in the days ahead.
Balance Your Downtime
The time between visits can be incredibly valuable. The car can be a very productive place. Whether it is ‘windshield time’ with one of your managers or time with your supervisor, don’t underestimate how much can be accomplished in those short bursts of time. I have completed many important tasks or conversations in those windows of time. Of course, making phone calls between visits is a good way to catch up on those quick touch base calls to stay connected with your team as well. However, this can also be time for yourself. I encourage you to make at least one of your ‘car periods’ for the day — either first trip in the morning, last of the day, or the one between stores near lunch to make that time for yourself. Listen to some music, a favorite podcast, or audiobook and let your mind wander a bit. It can actually become a great way to recharge after a couple of visits or to gather your thoughts before the first visit. Either way, ensure you plan to leave one of those trips just for yourself.
Schedule a Day For Development
Finding time for team development can always be a challenge. It is something we all want to happen, but all too often is also the easiest thing to skip when the schedule gets tight, or something unexpected comes into play. Development doesn’t have to mean a group meeting or even a specific topic for learning. Some of the best development days I have scheduled with my team have been about their individual development plans or even business reviews. Dedicated time to discuss how people are growing or leading their business are both types of development. Having a specific period for that outside of a store visit can ensure that there are fewer distractions, and you are less likely to be drawn into different issues within the store. Block a day or two each month to have these discussions — whether they are in person or on the phone, it will make a difference to have the time set aside for this.
Probably the most challenging thing I see for any level multi-unit leader to overcome is the pressure of history (what has always been done) and habits (what I am used to doing). It is common to watch leaders routinely (and even robotically) visit stores Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with an office day on Monday and occasionally Friday to take conference calls. It doesn’t have to be that way. It is okay to think outside those boxes and start visits later in the day after making productive phone calls in the morning, or the reverse, making your follow up calls in the afternoon. The best leaders do not measure themselves on the number of store visits they make. They measure themselves based on the quality of each connection with their team — that can be in the store, on the phone, or in meetings. Plan ahead, and you will feel much better about the impact you are making, and your team will see the difference you make for them.
Other Resources:
Being ready for peak seasons and not getting overwhelmed
Want to Get More Done and Feel Better About It? Break Projects Into Smaller Chunks
8 Strategies to Manage Overwhelming Feelings
How to Deal with Constantly Feeling Overwhelmed
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