How to manage pop-up requests

You can probably tell it’s busy season by the increasing number of requests in your inbox. Reference letters, LinkedIn pings, staff travel: all of it seems to ramp up at once. But you have your own goals to achieve.

How can you negotiate this period of unexpected requests without derailing your progress on the things that matter most to you?

First, consider all requests with care. Before giving a quick yes to a request or accepting an invitation to meet, determine its level of priority and urgency against your weekly and daily priorities. Does it derail you from already-established priorities? Is it urgent for your role or to accomplish a time-bound goal, or is it simply an important request that can be attended to at a later date? If you accept this request or take on this project, what will you need to adjust in your schedule to make room for it?

Then, focus this month on mindfully starting and ending your work sessions. For instance, start by clearing your mind; set a timer for three minutes and jot down everything you're thinking about. End your session by "parking downhill"—for example, you might jot down the next point you plan to write about to make it easier to jump back in when you next sit down to write. 

And finally, celebrate your successes. Finding ways to acknowledge your accomplishments—whether meeting a daily goal or wrapping up a big project—will help sustain you during high-pressure times.