In academia, time management is often touted as the key to productivity, but what happens when time isn't the real issue? What if you’re organised, have planned your day, and still feel overwhelmed? The problem might not be your time; it could be your exposure to stress.
In today’s post, we’ll explore how stress and workload management intersect and why expanding your mental capacity can actually do more for your productivity than simply managing your time. Let’s look at the key factors affecting your ability to focus and write, and how to maximise your mental bandwidth for deep work.
Time Management AS THE SOLE SOLUTION
When we discuss academic workload management, we often think about the systems universities put in place to allocate time for tasks. Most universities, particularly in the UK, have workload allocation systems that attempt to compute how much time should be spent on specific tasks. However, these systems rarely reflect the reality of academic work, for example, you might be allocated just one hour to prepare a lecture. We all know that preparing a lecture properly takes much longer and longer still if you never studied or taught that topic before. These systems are (on purpose) unrealistic, and while they may serve as management tools, they don’t reflect how much time is genuinely required to perform tasks effectively.
Time Versus Capacity: Why Stress Affects Your Writing
Even if you have all your time organised and planned, you might still struggle to make progress with your writing. If that’s the case, time isn’t your problem, it’s your capacity. I often discuss capacity in my coaching because it’s critical for deep work. Capacity is your ability to bring your physical, emotional, and intellectual self to the task at hand. When stress levels rise, capacity shrinks.
If you’re stressed, you simply won’t be able to focus deeply on your work. Whether it’s anxiety about deadlines, uncertainty in your role, or conflict with colleagues, these stressors can prevent you from engaging fully with the task. No amount of time management will solve this problem unless you address the stress that’s diminishing your mental real estate.
Identifying Your Stress Triggers
Not all stress is the same, and each person reacts differently to work pressures. To understand what’s draining your capacity, you need to perform a stress audit. Take some time to reflect on what causes you the most stress at work.
Cal Newport, in his podcast, categorises four main types of stress at work:
Time Stress: Having more tasks than time to complete them.
Expectation Stress: Feeling the pressure to deliver high-quality outcomes, whether real or perceived.
Uncertainty and Risk: Stress from not knowing the next steps or worrying about potential negative outcomes.
Conflict: Stress arising from toxic work environments, toxic colleagues, or conflicting expectations.
In addition, I’d add a fifth stress factor:
Control: Stress caused by a lack of agency in how you execute your tasks. Not having control over how things are done can cause significant stress, particularly in a highly structured environment like academia.
The Myth of "Task Overload"
One common misconception is that if you simply had fewer tasks to do, your stress would subside, and writing would become easier. But in my experience, this is rarely the case. Often, when someone claims they’re overwhelmed with tasks, it’s not the number of tasks that’s the problem, but rather how those tasks are structured or perceived. For example, I’ve worked with academics who were given a heavy workload, but they were only truly stressed because they lacked control over their work or had conflicting expectations placed on them. Reducing the number of tasks didn’t address the root causes of their stress.
If you’re experiencing burnout or stress, it’s not always about how many tasks you’re doing—it’s about what is stressing you out and how those stressors impact your capacity to work.
Understanding Your Stressors: A Personal Reflection
Take a moment to reflect on what truly stresses you out in the workplace. Is it the sheer volume of tasks, or is it the lack of control over your work, or what you think of as unfair or insensible decisions being taken around you? Is it uncertainty about your role, or is it the expectation stress of needing to deliver outputs to a very high standard? Identifying your specific stress triggers is the first step in managing them.
I know that my stressor isn’t conflict. I don’t mind difficult conversations. What really reduces my capacity is lack of control over my work. If I’m working with someone who is chaotic and disorganised, like a colleague who frequently changes plans last minute, I find it incredibly draining. It’s not the workload itself but the chaos that I have to deal with, which undermines my ability to focus on writing.
Managing Stress, Not Just Tasks
In the case of chaotic colleagues or unclear roles, consider how you can bargain or set boundaries to avoid these stressors. Take control where you can, and protect your mental space to allow for deep work. If you’re overwhelmed with an ill-defined role or unclear tasks, it’s crucial to seek clarity or get out of these kinds of roles. Addressing these uncertainties can significantly reduce the mental load, freeing up your capacity for more focused writing and academic work.
High Capacity, High Productivity
The goal here is to increase your mental capacity. Once you’ve removed the capacity-draining elements from your life, whether it’s chaotic work environments, unrealistic expectations, or lack of control, you’ll find that you can accomplish more in less time. Writing becomes easier when your mind is clear, your focus is sharp, and your stress is managed.
Conclusion: Manage Stress, Not Just Time
Time awareness is essential, but it’s not the only factor that determines your productivity. Managing your personal stress triggers and protecting your capacity to work deeply are equally important.
Take some time to reflect on your stressors today. What’s draining your capacity, and how can you create space to focus on your writing without distractions?