How To Catch Up With Your Team When You’re Lagging Behind?
When your team is ahead and you’re lagging behind, the pressure is on. I remember when I started at ProofHub, I was introduced to this team of talented people and I felt like I would never be able to tap into the rhythm they seemed to be working in. The level of productivity they presented, the way they put their ideas into motion, it felt like the Earth moved fast for them but slow for me.
The same thing happens when I take leaves or I get sucked into doing another assignment — It’s hard coming back to the ground after all of that. It wasn’t long until I realized that there is no escape from change — things will happen and eventually, they will go back to normal and I will just have to be okay with that.
I knew what I had to do — I developed a system that would work as an anchor and pull me back on track every time I sway from it.
And, it is effective stuff too! Like, for example, I make sure to:
Pen Down A Doable To-do List
When I want to move forward with my tasks and make sure I catch up to my team’s pace and progress, I make a to-do list. I pen down everything that I have to do to be up to speed with them. So I keep a weekly list that I make at the start of the week to log my pending tasks.
After penning down the pending tasks, I like to set them in order of how doable they are. The more doable they are, the more priority they get on my list unless of course, some other task carries more actual priority or deadline. The thing to remember when you are playing catch up is that it’s not so much the speed with which you are doing things as it is in what you are choosing to do with your time.
And, I am all good to go once I am sure my work for the week is cut out for me with a list that shows me everything I will definitely be doing.
Plan for the Days Ahead
The next thing I do is that I set down a target date when I would like things to be normal again. I want to give myself a deadline. Maybe it is not possible today, or tomorrow, but it may be possible next Monday or so, right?
Therefore, scheduling is important. So I plan for the days ahead. I like fitting my to-do list into the calendar alongside different days so I can keep track of what to do and when to do it. ProofHub, for instance, is my go-to one place to make a to-do list while also being able to view all my tasks with a calendar view.
This helps me stay on track while planning for the days ahead at the same time.
Check Things Off Your List
While it is great to have a to-do list, a schedule, and a willingness to wind up your tasks, it is also important to be consistently motivated. I learned this the hard way that if I worked with duress, I will never be able to give my best.
I make sure to take a breather to realize that I have just accomplished something. And, the sense of accomplishment you get when you check something off that list is surreal. I take that sense of accomplishment as the wind in my sails. I trust it and I let it guide me towards being motivated to always work this hard.
Therefore checking things off your list — the most important step.
Create to-do lists and map your progress with ProofHub! Sign up for your FREE trial.
Set Reminders To Stay On Track
I don’t know about you but I used to feel really awkward when I tried to learn to do things that everyone around me already knew. I had my focus on too many things like endless tabs opened in my brain. It is hard to concentrate on one thing when you have too many things on your agenda, even when you have an air-tight to-do list.
We need to fight these concentration issues and by doing something that will help us stay on task. I try to use time management tools that can help me work by giving me automatic reminders so I don’t deter from my track ever again.
After all, sometimes we just need a little nudge and we’re fine again, relying on such a tool seems very convenient to me so I can always monitor myself. This also saves me from distractions and wandering thoughts, so that’s an added bonus.
Draw Motivation From The Team
I’ve noticed that when I have pending work, I feel very demotivated. And who should I look to for motivation? My talented team. They have always guided me well and been patient with me through it all. And, I am sure your team would do the same for you.
Rather than being envious of the people who are progressing at a high rate, I choose to be inspired by them. If they are ahead of me, they are obviously doing something right. I choose to draw motivation from my team.
There’s a lot you can learn from your team too! How do they stay on schedule? what are they doing that you’re not? May be what works for them can work for you too!
In fact, if you get along with your team well, you can always tell them to keep an eye on you and ask you for updates so it is easier for you to stay on task.
View the progress and activities of your team in real time! Give ProofHub a try.
Don’t Allow Stress To Take The Wheel
I’ve seen this in many cases — we start to lag behind a little bit and then we get stressed and, in turn, we are not able to function anymore. This state of panic is not going to help anybody.
Being patient with yourself is a big part of recovering from falling behind. A calm mind can yield great results.
I am in charge of my assignments, so I take the wheel. To have real control over my tasks, I use automation tools that help me keep moving forward uninterrupted. I tend to use software platforms that would help me ease my workflow. Using cloud storage platforms, task management tools and time tracking tools proves to be very helpful in these times.
Conclusion
No one likes missing deadlines. It feels like a violation when a task gets carried over to next week’s agenda. Catching up to the team can often feel like a series of failed attempts.
Remember! Only calculated steps can help us move forward and help us finally catch up to the team’s progress and pace. First, you have to know what to do, and then you can very well pick up the pace.
So I want to leave you with a challenge. Calculate time, create a to-do list, and start your journey today. With a calm head and a focussed mind, tell yourself that “I got this” and don’t think, and just do.
Thank you for reading this, before you go
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