Overwhelmed: the endless race

摘要

'I'm swamped, so is everyone.There are files all over the carpet, not just the desk. With year-ends and tax deadlines ahead, another working Christmas looms. I'm fed up with this.There's no satisfaction in achieving anything; it's always straight on to the next hurdle.The race is never won.' Jim's frustration is palpable, even on the phone. I'm tempted to explore his workload, to help him prioritise it. But something he's just said seems important. I ask him to say more about the race being never won. 'Well, no matter how hard you work, there are always more emails, more files, more events to attend. I know I should be doing more strategic stuff, but I never get around to it. I know I should be delegating more, but I first need to spend time with staff to help them take on the work. It really galls me that I already know the solutions, but haven't got the capacity to implement them. And what galls me most of all is the lack of satisfaction: the endless deadlines, the to-do list that's growing faster that I can put ticks on it.'