Tips for Managing Overwhelming Requests

This is my third post (a series of 3), around CSM burnout. This post is geared towards those CSMs who are burning out, feel lost, or overwhelmed. I'm writing this as a CSM who has suffered from burnout in the past, and who was able to come out of it. So here's my advice to you, things that I have implemented on my day-to-day to ensure I remain sane. 1. Focus on what you can control: It is easy to become overwhelmed by the multitude of tasks and challenges in CS. Focus on what you can influence and improve. 2. Learn to prioritize your portfolio, do what you can: Not all customers require the same level of attention at all times. Prioritize your portfolio based on factors such as potential impact, urgency, and strategic importance. 3. Share feedback with your leaders, and not just complain... offer solutions: If you're feeling overwhelmed or struggling with certain aspects of your job, don't hesitate to communicate with your leaders. However, it's important to not just complain but also offer constructive solutions or suggestions for improvement. 4. Find a support group of people where you can vent Seek out a support group of peers, whether it's on platforms like Reddit or through connections on LinkedIn. Having a space to share experiences, seek advice, and offer support can help alleviate feelings of isolation and stress. 5. Exercise, practice yoga, meditate: Physical activity and mindfulness practices are powerful tools for managing stress and preventing burnout. Incorporate regular exercise, yoga, or meditation into your routine to help alleviate tension. 6. Find a mentor or a coach who can guide you: Having someone experienced to provide guidance and support can be invaluable in navigating challenges and avoiding burnout. 7. Set boundaries and learn to say no: It's important to recognize your limitations and set boundaries to protect your well-being. Learn to say no to requests or commitments that exceed your capacity or aren't aligned with your priorities. 8. Take regular breaks and disconnect: Breaks are essential for recharging your batteries and maintaining productivity. Schedule regular breaks throughout your day to rest, recharge, and step away from your work. 9. Celebrate successes and practice self-care: It's important to celebrate your achievements and prioritize self-care. Take time to acknowledge your accomplishments, no matter how small, and treat yourself with kindness and compassion. 10. Continuously learn and adapt (having a growth mindset): The field of customer success is constantly evolving, and it's essential to stay adaptable and open to learning. Invest in your professional development by seeking out growth opportunities. This is what I've done... and what I keep doing to ensure I'm my best self to keep helping customers succeed.

𝗧𝗼𝗼 𝗠𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺? . . . 🔷A former boss used to say jokingly when the workload became overwhelming, “We have done so much with so little for so long that we can do everything with nothing forever!”   🔷And while it was an excellent way for my boss to reduce the tension of us being “rewarded” with more work based on our team’s successes, my boss acknowledged we were stretched too thin. As a result, if additional personnel weren’t available, other remedies were necessary to prevent burnout and keep everyone sane.   👉Here are a few recommendations when faced with more work than your team or organization can realistically accomplish:   ✅First, be honest with yourself; an overloaded team won’t get everything done. But once you are honest about it and accept the reality, proactive decisions can create adaptability instead of reactivity.   ✅Second, prioritize consciously about what your team will do — and what they won’t. Seek team member input and discuss what is essential to the organization and what may not be a high priority.   ✅Third, communicate your plan with your team and up to your boss, including data, if necessary. Once agreed, hold them (and yourself) accountable. If a “good” idea or additional task arises, ask which priority it takes off the list.   ✅Fourth, look at efficiencies in shared services, delegate projects to other teams, or see if the budget can allow temporary external contractors for help, if possible.   ✅Fifth, reset expectations with stakeholders (external and internal). It is better to reset expectations upfront than to deal with angry and disappointed people when you haven’t met their expectations.   ✅Finally, request more staff. Even if it’s not in the cards right now, making the case early might put you at the top of the list when the budget allows.   👇Below are things leaders should 𝗡𝗢𝗧 do when dealing with too much work:   ❌Keep saying “Yes” to new requests – If priorities keep changing for your team members, then they will eventually lose focus on what is genuinely critical.   ❌Keep starting things – People tend to believe that the best chance for getting more work done is to get more work started. But all that work in process hampers productivity.   ❌Encourage unofficial channels and hidden work – The more the organization is in overcapacity, the more unofficial channels are used, until eventually, the unofficial channels are where all the work goes. And it is hidden.   ❌Introduce a new tool – Rather than look at the overall value stream and how work gets done, performance management tools usually only optimize one part of the process without changing the overall outcome.   🌟Many organizations today are struggling with more work than they have people to get the job done. Whether due to competitive pressures or increased customer demands, leaders need to balance priorities and resources efficiently or risk driving away their talent and end up in a worse predicament.

In the fast-paced world of business, requests from senior managers can often appear as non-negotiable demands. Understanding the underlying request can transform how we respond and lead to more effective outcomes. Consider this common scenario: Your CEO casually mentions, “I need the project update presentation by Monday.” At first glance, this sounds like a firm deadline. However, this could be an opportunity for negotiation rather than a strict command. How to Navigate: Clarify the Need Start by understanding the urgency, importance, and significance of the request. For example, you might say, “I understand the presentation is important. Could you share more about what will be discussed? This context will help me prioritize the most critical information.” Assess Your Capacity Evaluate your current commitments. If the timeline is tight due to other priorities, communicate this. For example, “I’m currently wrapping up the quarterly budget review, which is also due Monday. Would it be possible to have an extra day for the presentation to ensure all data is accurately captured?” Propose Alternatives If the original deadline is not flexible, suggest alternatives that meet the need without compromising the quality of work. “If the full presentation can’t be delayed, I could provide a summary of key points by Monday and follow up with a detailed report by Wednesday.” Confirm Agreement and Shared Understanding Ensure you and your CEO are on the same page. “To summarize, I will provide a summary by Monday and the full presentation by Wednesday. Does that work with your schedule?” This approach shows your proactive engagement and respects the executive’s needs while managing your workload effectively. It’s about finding a middle ground that benefits both parties, turning top-down demands into collaborative, negotiable requests. Remember, every executive demand is an opportunity to showcase your strategic thinking and negotiation skills. Don’t shy away from these conversations; they are your chance to lead effectively. #ExecutivePresence #Negotation #TimeManagement #ExecutiveCoaching

When you feel overwhelmed (in anything in life, not just work)... Stop. Take a deep breath. Begin the following steps: 🛑 Stop taking on any new items. This will give you a calm and controlled environment to complete those items that are overwhelming you. Track the balls you have in the air and stop adding new ones in. ✍ Write down everything you have to do that is making you feel overwhelmed. Identify all the balls you have in the air. 🔍 Identify ONE and only ONE item AS THE MOST IMPORTANT. Please note, that this is not the most urgent item (the ball closest to coming down), this is the item that if it is dropped will have the most negative outcome OR even better, it is the item that if completed, will have the biggest positive impact. Pick one ball that is in the air and lock on to it. You can handle the other balls later. 📰 Break that item down into as small of pieces/steps as possible. Work backward from the goal of that item and write out everything you have to do to get that item completed. Track the one ball that you have identified and do not take your eyes off of it. 🚵♂️ Put all your effort into completing that task. Ignore as much else as possible until this one item is completed and your goal is achieved. Catch the ball and throw it back up into the air. 🛑 Stop. At this point, you may be energized and encouraged to take on new tasks. DO NOT DO THIS until you have completed the next and last step. 👀 Survey the scene. Identify all of the balls you still have remaining in the air - chances are they have changed or progressed differently since you last checked on them as you were busy squeezing down your most important task. That is ok! Gather the information you need, identify which item is now the most important, and repeat the steps above. If you have no balls left in the air or they are all in a state where you can take on a new task - go for it! Did I write this mostly for myself... yes... yes I did. But I hope it helps you as well! Everything is doable, we just need to remember to stop, prioritize, break down, and execute. Happy Thursday.

Saying "no" is a skill often overlooked in our get-involved, be-popular, people-pleasing world. However, for anyone wanting to achieve personal and professional success, it's a critical skill. Those currently with leadership responsibilities and those with aspirations to be a leader must pay attention. Learning how to decline tasks or requests that won't help you achieve your goals or that don't align with your company's objectives can save you time and energy, reduce stress, and keep you on a forward-looking path. Here are some simple suggestions that anyone can do: 1) Prioritize Your Goals. To effectively say "no," you must have a clear understanding of your goals and your company's objectives. When a new task or request comes your way, evaluate whether it supports one or both. If it doesn't, politely decline and explain that your current focus is on your established priorities. 2) Be Assertive but Polite. Don't be rude when declining a request as a polite, assertive response can help you maintain healthy relationships. Express your appreciation for the opportunity and kindly explain why you can't commit now. A simple "I'd love to help, but I have other commitments that need my attention" is often sufficient. 3) Suggest Alternatives. If you can't take on a task, consider offering alternatives. You might suggest another colleague who could be a better fit for the job or provide guidance on how the task can be accomplished without your direct involvement. 4) Stay Firm. Once you've made the decision to decline, stick to it. Don't be swayed by guilt or pressured into doing it by others. Remember that saying "no" is about preserving your time and energy for what truly matters. 5) Manage Expectations. Communicate clearly about your current workload and commitments. If you are already swamped with work and tasks, people will likely understand your need to decline additional requests. 6) Practice Self-Care. Saying "no" is an act of self-care. It allows you to manage your time and energy more effectively and avoid burnout. When you care for yourself, you're better equipped to contribute positively to your company's success. 7) Learn from Your Experiences. Reflect on your "no" moments and evaluate whether they effectively preserved your focus on your goals. Learning from those experiences can help you refine your approach and make it easier to say "no" in the future. Saying "no" can be challenging, but it's an essential skill for maintaining your focus and keeping your company's objectives the "main thing." By prioritizing your commitments, being polite yet firm, and managing expectations, you can protect your time and energy, keep the balls you're juggling in the air, and stay on the path to success. What are some other ways for effectively saying "NO"? #ceos #leadership #sayingno #execution As a senior executive, if you have trouble establishing priorities and saying no, DM me here to setup a conversation. I won't tell you no.

Here's the quickest path to feeling overwhelmed while practicing law: 1. Start the day without an agenda or a plan of action. Think about all the tasks you could start on and decide you have no idea where to start. Open your email to see what's waiting and get lost in responding to emails. 2. Allow anyone and everyone to contact you at any time. All communication channels are open: email, cell phone, office phone, texting, colleagues and co-workers dropping in the office, Teams, Slack, and more. Prioritize responding. You are reacting to whatever is thrown at you moment-by-moment. It's like playing dodgeball in gym class. Productivity and efficiency tank. You end the day feeling pummeled by others. The work you needed to get done is still waiting for you. You stay up late - the only quiet time you have - and sacrifice sleep. Start the next day tired and without a plan. Rinse and repeat. One of the most common challenges clients come to me with is a tremendous feeling of overwhelm that has existed for a long time. They feel as though their days are out of control. They want things to be different but are not sure what to do. I have a process for helping clients escape a perpetual state of overwhelm. It takes time to implement, but here are two steps you can take immediately to start taking control of your days: 1. Identify tomorrow's Most Important Tasks (MITs) the night before. Pick one thing that will move the needle the most. Ideally, you do this task before anything else, but when it gets done can be planned depending on your day and productivity style.  2. Start to put up guardrails and rules around communication. Take charge of when people have access to you. Log out of email while working on your MITs. Close your office door and let others know you are in a meeting (with yourself) and unavailable for x amount of time. Put your phone on DND. If you have doubts this will work, try an experimental mindset instead of predicting the outcome. Our predictions tend to be skewed towards the negative, so they aren't the most optimistic or accurate. "I wonder how it will go if I tell my staff I am unavailable from 9-10:30?" "What would happen to my level of focus if I logged out of email for 30 minutes? "Will identifying my MITs and planning my day increase productivity?" Be open to trying it for one week. Gather data. Review what worked and what didn't. Learn. Modify. See what works for you. Try it again for another week. Repeat the experimentation process. What are you going to try this week? #lawyer #attorney #coaching #highperformance #stressmanagement #timemanagement #productivity

"The stress of having so many bosses, so little time, and few resources is getting to me." I spent time the other day speaking with a brand new CMO and offered some advice it has taken me years to learn. It may not be suitable for everyone, but if a pearl works for you... ⏱ Put it down on paper. If you are overloaded write your long to-do list on paper or type it into a document. Get the stressors out of your mind and onto paper, and you will be better able to visualize what you have ahead of you. Once you do that, you'll be better positioned to plan your priorities and consider tasks you can delegate. ⏱ Don't look at the long to-do list every single day. Rather each day, take a few things, three to five is what I usually recommend to my clients, put those on a small note pad, and focus on accomplishing just those.  If there is time after accomplishing those, you can always go back to your longer list. ⏱ On Fridays, review your past week. Were there things that others could have helped you with? Were there projects that could be done better, more efficiently and more effectively? By looking back, you'll be able to tell and move ahead differently for next week. ⏱ If you are structuring a new group, avoid too many direct reports. It's a road to burnoutdom. The rule of seven says that you will be more productive if you can have seven or fewer. I believe that as well. ⏱ Avoid silos of information within your marketing organization and the firm. Some of the most significant stressors I see when working with law firms come when one area doesn't know what the other is doing. The friction (aka complaints) from lawyers and your own staff are generally issues that could have been mitigated by breaking down silos. By creating processes to keep workflows going and putting good communications in place, you can avoid a tremendous number of problems. ⏱ In addition to real getaways, take mini-breaks, even during the day. A walk outside or a trip down the block to grab a coffee can increase endorphins, get your brain cells moving and release some of the pressure. It will also help you think more clearly when you return to the office. ⏱ Learn to say no. One year, I spent several weekends on the phone with a particularly brilliant (yet challenging) lawyer. By the time May rolled around, I realized I was absent from three-holiday celebrations with my family. To some degree, it was my fault for not drawing the line. ⏱ Keep your brain refreshed with new ideas. Be active in industry organizations, for me that means the Legal Marketing Association - LMA International and the International Bar Association, and listen to programs and podcasts on topics you love, even if they don’t relate to your career. I hope you'll share your ideas for how those in leadership positions can achieve more while stressing out less. 

Hey you...super nice rep who loves helping others, always replies to Slacks immediately, and loves your account team to death You need to be WAY more selfish Do these bullets apply to you? - You prioritize internal comms whenever someone needs you - You reply to Slacks/emails with extreme urgency - You never say no to an assigned project - You always make time for colleagues who have questions - You volunteer for optional items constantly On the one hand, your org is lucky to have you acting as the glue! BUT if you checked a couple of those boxes... You are not protecting your time enough Your first obligation is to yourself - the work you need to get done, your development, and your personal time You can still add work beyond that, but first ask yourself: - Do I have time in the day to accomplish my main job? - Do I have trouble getting in the flow for work? - Do I feel like some of the work I do isn't helping my role? I would enlist a partner (such as your manager) to help add perspective Then, start taking your time back bit by bit (won't change overnight): ⏳ Align with an Accountabilibuddy share your goal of saying "no" to more things ⏳ Make sure your manager is aware of this goal ⏳ Find the BEST times a day for your productivity and BLOCK them ruthlessly ⏳ Let your peers know when you will be in "deep" work ⏳ Learn to default to no on asks for your time or optional work. You can almost always say yes after some time to think about it ⏳ Get technology to work for you: Slack and email notifications should come when YOU want them to. Spend some time here Once you lock down a stellar organizational rhythm, you can start adding projects and tasks that serve your work and development goals in an intentional way! Any other tips from those who have been in these shoes? #Productivity #SalesDay #AskSomeoneElse #DoNotDisturb #CorrCompetencies

A day in the life of a product marketer could be a total chaotic mess. You could be: 😑 Sitting in long meetings that should really be an email with a status update 😑Responding to endless Slack messages from product, customer support, sales, and every other team in between  😑 Getting pulled into 2 new projects due to “new company direction” and told you need to turn them around in 3 days 😑 Re-editing the sales deck that miraculously changed after you rolled it out last week This is unfortunately the downside of a role that has so much breadth in scope, and that sits at the intersection of so many different teams. But chaos does not have to define the role. Here are four tips you can use to take better control of your day: 1️⃣ Block 1-2 hours during your peak performance times to complete the highest-value task. For me, this is the first hour of the day before I have any meetings. 2️⃣ Respond to Slack/Email messages only during set times in the day. For me, this is during lunchtime and late afternoons. 3️⃣ Flex around the 9-5 for more strategic tasks. While time blocking is effective most of the time, I find it does not work for more creative or complex tasks that require a lot of thinking. So instead of beating myself up for “wasting my time” thinking for 2 hours during the day, I do these tasks at night, or on a Friday afternoon, when I have no pressure to reply to others or join a meeting. 4️⃣ Longer term - set up clear processes and documentation for field teams so they go from reaching out to you ad-hoc to checking out self-service solutions. For instance, in my previous role, my team set up a centralized Slack channel for all field teams to ask questions and created detailed FAQs and quick reference guides. When you have a more productive workday, you will create the mental energy for you to intentionally build your career. What has worked for you? What else would you add? #productmarketing #careergrowth #productivity #marketing #coaching

Saying no goes unnoticed until you win. Get used to it. 6 frameworks to win by saying no: There's a fine line between saying yes to what matters and no to what doesn't. When we started my agency, saying no seemed impossible, leading to overwhelming commitments, burnout, and chaos in my work and personal life. But a few years ago, I read "The Power of Regret" by Daniel Pink. The book not only taught me how to embrace the emotion of regret, but also inadvertently showed me how to assert myself by saying no. 6 key lessons that will help you master the art of saying no: 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿 Make a crystal clear list of your top three priorities each day. When approached with an unexpected request, ask yourself if it directly contributes to your overarching goals. Don't hesitate to say no if it doesn't align with one of your priorities. 𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 Spend time outlining your 5-year goals. Once you have a clear vision of where you want to be in five years, you can use it as a reference point when deciding whether to say yes or no to a request. Ask yourself if the request aligns with your long-term goals and if it will bring you closer to achieving them. If not, then once again, say no. 𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗴𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗲 Follow a simple yes or no approach to all your commitments. It's a great way to prioritize obligations that deeply resonate with you and avoid unnecessary distractions. If it's not a " Hell yeah!," it’s a “no”. 𝟰. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁-𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 Not everything is worth doing. Develop a matrix for the effort and impact of potential commitments. Assess if the effort required aligns with the impact on your goals. If it falls in the high-effort, low-impact quadrant, decline. 𝟱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟬/𝟭𝟬/𝟭𝟬 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲 Before you decide to take on a new request, remind yourself of this question: "What are the consequences of this action in ten minutes, ten months, and ten years?" The key is always to prioritize decisions with positive long-term consequences. 𝟲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 Daniel Pink put it perfectly: "Regret is valuable. It clarifies. It instructs. Done right, it needn't drag us down; it can lift us up." When given a choice, opt for something with the least regret potential. P.S. If you want to learn about AI, Agency growth, leadership and more, follow me so you never miss a post!