Today's managers face heavy workloads and high levels of stress. While it might seem intuitive to halt their development efforts to alleviate their burden, our research indicates otherwise. It's crucial for managers to actively participate in skill-building programs to equip themselves with the essential human skills and emotional intelligence demanded by the post-industrial economy.

At Balance2Life, we believe that by helping organisations build nurturing, inclusive environments that prioritise safety and wellbeing, we can combat burnout and ensure people leave work feeling happy, secure, and fulfilled.

Here are twelve of our favourite strategies to help you lighten your managerial load:

#1: Master the art of discernment

Focus on high-impact tasks that contribute significantly to your team's goals or organisational success while considering deadlines and time-sensitive assignments.

Delegate tasks to capable team members, eliminate non-essential responsibilities and stay flexible in adapting to changes. By mastering discernment, you can effectively manage your workload, increase productivity, and achieve better outcomes for your team.

#2: Learn when to value progress and when to value execution

Striving for excellence is like reaching for the stars — it can elevate everyday tasks like completing your checklist or managing your emails. However, there's no room for error in critical roles like safeguarding data. Understanding the distinction between tasks that demand precision and those that call for progress is vital for you. It alleviates stress, conserves resources, and sidesteps potential disasters. Therefore, channel your efforts strategically, aiming for outstanding performance where necessary and acknowledging growth where perfection isn't the goal.

#3: Embrace agency and collaboration

It's essential to embrace agency and collaboration among your team. Encourage flexibility by empowering individuals to manage tasks at their own pace, allowing them to work autonomously while still meeting deadlines. This approach reduces your need for micromanagement and boosts individual productivity and morale.

Additionally, emphasise the importance of collective efforts where they yield the most significant benefit. Identify tasks or projects that require collaboration and foster an environment where teamwork and idea-sharing are encouraged.

By strategically allocating responsibilities and promoting open communication, you can effectively leverage your team's strengths, achieving goals more efficiently while lightening your managerial burden.

#4: If less is more, give less

The tendency to provide detailed explanations for every decision or action can substantially drain your time and energy. Instead, consider the value of conciseness and clarity. By offering succinct guidance or decisions without the exhaustive backdrop, you save time and empower your team members to fill in the gaps, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility, demonstrating trust in your team's capabilities, and cultivating their problem-solving skills.

It's about striking the right balance between giving enough information to guide and not so much that it stifles independence. Adopting this practice can lead to a more dynamic, engaged team and a significantly lighter workload by approaching tasks with greater independence and critical thinking.

#5: Get out of your own way

It's vital to recognise when you might be an obstacle to productivity by micromanaging or not delegating effectively. Identify where you're a bottleneck and delegate those tasks, fostering an environment where initiative is valued. This shift from controlling every detail to guiding your team reduces your workload and boosts morale and productivity. Your role is to ensure everything gets done by empowering an efficient team, not doing everything yourself.

#6: Work smart, not hard

Instead of succumbing to the pressure of mounting tasks by simply working harder, adopt a strategic approach emphasising efficiency and effectiveness. Recognise that the key to managing your workload isn't just about putting in more hours but about leveraging smarter strategies and tools.

It involves stepping back to assess your existing procedures and pinpointing opportunities for automation, task delegation, or the implementation of new technologies. This approach simplifies your work processes and liberates crucial time, allowing you to concentrate on more critical projects that demand your specialised skills.

#7: Cultivate healthy emotions

Cultivating healthy emotions is a choice that can improve your management style. For example, you can embrace emotions that fuel productivity, such as curiosity rather than judgment, to reduce stress and enhance effectiveness.

Recognise that your emotional state is within your control and adopt a mindset that prioritises learning and openness so you can consciously transform challenges into opportunities for growth.

In addition, make a conscious decision to view situations through a lens of curiosity, asking questions and seeking to understand rather than to critique. Adopting this new viewpoint can result in creative solutions, better teamwork, and a notable decrease in workload and stress.

#8: Master the 80/20 rule

According to the Pareto principle, named after economist Vilfredo Pareto, concentrating on 20% of your activities can generate 80% of the outcomes.

Identify which activities drive performance and allocate your energy there. Begin by evaluating your projects and responsibilities to pinpoint those critical few that will have the most significant impact. Then, delegate or minimise time spent on less impactful tasks.

This approach streamlines your workload and maximises your team's effectiveness. Remember, prioritising and simplifying your focus is the key to leveraging the 80/20 rule for a more balanced and successful management experience.

#9: Right questions are key

Focus on crafting the right questions, not just seeking the correct answers. In management, the path to clarity and success often begins with inquiry. You pave the way for innovative solutions and deeper understanding by asking insightful, open-ended questions. This approach also encourages a culture of curiosity and learning within your team, driving collective progress. Remember, the calibre of responses you get is directly linked to the nature of the questions you ask.

#10: Choose time wisely

Prioritise decisions that conserve your future time. In a fast-paced environment, opting for quick fixes that offer immediate relief but cost more time later is tempting. Shift your focus towards choices that, while requiring more effort upfront, streamline processes and reduce workload. It could mean investing in automation, delegating effectively, or setting clear priorities. Adopting a forward-thinking approach will safeguard your future time, enhance productivity, and reduce stress. Let this principle guide your management style, turning time into your ally rather than your adversary.

#11: Delegate sensibly

Lean into the power of delegation to clear your plate of tasks that others can handle. Evaluate your to-do list, identifying tasks aligning with your team member's strengths and development goals. By delegating sensibly, you free up your time for strategic initiatives and empower your team, fostering growth and building trust. Remember, effective delegation is not about offloading work; it's about smartly distributing tasks to enhance team capacity and efficiency. Embrace this approach to lighten your load and maximise team potential.

#12: Show up for your team

Make it a habit to be the early bird, setting a positive example for your team. By arriving early, you demonstrate commitment and set the tone for the day, signalling that every moment counts. This practice not only affords you quiet time to organise and plan ahead but also shows your team you're invested and available. Being present early encourages open communication, allowing for impromptu meetings or one-on-one discussions to boost morale and foster a supportive environment. Let your punctuality inspire punctuality and dedication, reinforcing a culture of respect and high performance.

At Balance2Life, we utilise a bottom-up approach that combines soft skills coaching with personalised wellbeing support to attract and enlist leaders as wellbeing champions. Contact us today to learn more.