That’s the assumption in many companies, isn’t it? If you’re not dropping some, you must be juggling too few balls! Whoever manages to stay on top of everything is suspicious. “Does she have enough work?” God forbid we send someone home at the end of the day with 5% left in the tank.
The good news is it’s not a big deal. If no one can cover all their projects, delays are as common as coffee breaks. It’s only when managers expect miracles that the situation becomes problematic. Luckily, most of them don’t. After all, they, too, are frequently behind.
Still, it seems a better way is so close we could all easily grasp it. Why not say no once you’re booked out? Or even a little bit before? We can always pause less important work if a bigger opportunity comes along. And it simply feels a lot better to end your day with all boxes checked than with worry about everything you’ll still have to tackle tomorrow.
Work is like the ocean: Don’t let the sheer volume of water get into your head. We’re all just swimming as far as we can each day—and that must be enough.
