“I work in a fast-paced environment where deadlines are imperative and things can move fast, but I’m feeling really overwhelmed by the fact that everything is treated as ‘urgent ’all the time, even when it’s not. How do I go about talking to my team about re-prioritising to try and quell some of the chaos?”

Sanaa, 32

Fast-paced environments are a lot of fun, and it’s easy at first to thrive on the sheer adrenaline rush that deadlines provide. Unfortunately, over a longer period, chaos – just as you describe it – enters the mindset and everything risks falling apart.

Because the mental wellbeing of you and your team sounds as though it could be at risk, the time for you to act is right now.

The first thing to do is create some simple rules. Try suggesting that every piece of work from now on needs to be labelled accurately according to its actual (and not imagined) urgency. It just cannot be true that “everything is urgent”.  With some projects, for example, speed of delivery may be more important than the perfection of the output. Those factors need to be identified so that if corners need to be cut then you and your team are agreeing on that from the outset. 

Try saying something like: “We have x-hours/days to complete these tasks, so let’s agree in advance how long each one should take.” Then you can calculate the timescale and allocate the tasks appropriately. Encourage each person to keep relevant team members posted if the timeframe is likely to shift in either direction. This way you can constantly adjust the priority list but still keep everyone in the loop.

After a period of behaving like this, you should notice a new sense of calm pervading the atmosphere. Systematic teamwork where priorities are clear will bring relief and, ironically, improve efficiency. Instead of your team running around like headless chickens and feeling completely out of control, they will feel they’re in the driving seat and still getting the highs from achieving the deadlines. This harmonious working environment is not just good for everyone’s mental health but is also good for providing the thinking time for greater creativity.

From what you write, some change is inarguably necessary. While teams often resist the idea of new ways of working, they are likely to embrace fresh approaches once they are presented in a supportive manner and with clear reasoning. With deadlines such as yours, there is no danger of complacency setting in, but a more systematic attitude will ultimately lead to a happier bunch of colleagues.

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