MPW Insiders Network是一个在线社区，商界内外鼎鼎有名的人物将会在这里及时回答关于职业生涯和领导力的问题。今天的问题是：怎样应对繁重的工作量？回答者是BBH N.Y.公司百比赫（纽约）的全球和纽约首席战略官萨拉·沃特森。

人生生活中一个不可避免的事实之一是，有时你的工作有时会变得十分繁重。

不过你有选择的权力：你可以支配它，也可以任由它消耗你的时间，使你筋疲力尽。这一切取决于只在于你给自己传达了怎样的信息。在心里哼着曲子，努力去做些伟大的事情，用这样的方式来应对繁重的工作，可以让你度过这段艰难的时刻。以下是一些应对繁重工作的小建议：

任何情况都保持积极心态

你得冷酷地控制自己的想法。每时每刻都想着这个任务对你来说有多重，这是多么不公平，你多么缺乏智力或人力资源来完成它，都是在浪费时间，无益于解决问题。你没有多余的时间了。你需要思考的，应该只关乎怎样解决问题，所以你必须保持乐观，用行动说话。

停止无用的谈话

许多“会议”都无法推动任务的进程，这点令人惊异。在每次交谈中，我都会问自己：“这能达到什么目的？”如果我们谈话只是为了抱怨、责备或同情，我就会终止它。所有的时间都必须用于推动任务的进展。

专注、专注、专注

在工作之外，还有一些职场义务（例如：社交活动）需要你去完成。仔细衡量哪些必须做，哪些可以放弃。在同意去做某事之前，认真想想鉴于你在自己承担的工作量的任务负荷下，参加这场这样一个特定的活动是否可行。花时间搞清楚要不要去参加活动令人心力交瘁，让同事失望也一点都不有趣。

保持足够的休息

对于究竟要用多久时间来完成任务这个问题，我比以往任何时候都更加对此的乐观前所未有。因为我经常发现，当我用心时时，我只需往往很短的时间就能把事情搞定——尤其是在我休息良好的时候情况下。只要可能，我总是会确保睡眠时间。我宁愿早早睡觉，醒来精神焕发，而不是拼命工作却效果糟糕。

把更多的工作地委托给他人

很明显，你可以委托他人分担任务，认真考虑你要做什么，不做什么。不过这都是主人翁的心态。当你对他们提出很高要求时，他们往往会爆发出让自己感到惊讶的潜力，让自己惊讶。我常常发现，我认为忙得一塌糊涂的人会享受这个从全新角度展现自己的机会。

保持清醒

当你要经历一段高强度的工作期时，可以留出一些时间来取得平衡。否则，你很容易筋疲力尽。花点时间去健身，试试瑜伽或冥想，外出旅游，联系那些想念的人——享受一些与工作无关，或放松或有益的事情。

确保工作量的可持续

要记住，工作是一场马拉松，而不是一次冲刺。如果你承担的工作量是不可持续的，就必须解决这个问题。经历一段不寻常的高强度工作期很合理，犯不过如果这成为了常态，你就需要找人谈谈，做出一些改变了。

记住本质

面临繁重工作时，你的心态是你保持冷静和专注，取得成功的重要因素。每当你感觉要不堪重负时，就去看看如何改善自己的观点，或寻求他人的帮助来获得你所需的支持。（财富中文网）

作者：Sarah Watson

译者：严匡正

审校：任文科

You have to give yourself time to unwind.

The MPW Insiders Network is an online community where the biggest names in business and beyond answer timely career and leadership questions. Today’s answer for: “How do you manage a heavy workload?” is written by Sarah Watson, global and NY chief strategy officer of BBH N.Y.

It’s an unavoidable fact of life that sometimes your workload will get really heavy.

But, you have a choice: Either you’re owning it, or it’s consuming you and burning you out. It’s all about what you tell yourself. Approaching your heavy workload with a song in your heart and a commitment to accomplish something great is what’s going to get you through. Here are my tips for managing a heavy workload:

Stay positive no matter what

You have to be ruthless about what’s going on in your head. Every second spent on disempowering thoughts about how this is too much for you, how it isn’t fair, how you lack the intellectual or human resources to complete it, is another second spent not solving the problem. And you don’t have any seconds to spare. The internal conversation has to be purely about what you can do to solve this, so you must be optimistic and action-oriented.

Cut out any conversation that isn’t helping

It is amazing how many “meetings” fail to move things forward. I ask myself during every conversation, “What purpose is this serving?” If we are speaking only to complain, blame, or commiserate, I cut it off. Every single moment must be used to move things forward.

Focus, focus, focus

There will be professional commitments (e.g., networking events) beyond your workload that you have to navigate. Weigh carefully which must stay and which can go. Before saying yes and committing to something, take a hard look at whether attending a certain event, for example, is viable, given your workload. Spending the day trying to figure out whether or not you’ll make it is draining, and disappointing peers is never fun.

Get enough rest

I am more optimistic than ever about how long it really takes to get things done. I often find I can crack things in a fraction of the time when I put my mind to it—especially when I am well rested. I always protect my time to sleep, wherever possible. I’d rather make it an early night and wake refreshed than work another day with diminishing returns.

Delegate even more

It is obvious to say you have to delegate and get serious about what you are and aren’t going to do. But it’s all part of the mindset of ownership. When you make powerful requests of people, they usually step up and surprise themselves. I’ve so often found that the people I assumed were swamped with work actually relish the opportunity to show themselves in a whole new light.

Regain sanity

When you go through a really intense period at work, set aside time to get some balance back. You’ll burn out if you don’t. Spend some extra time at the gym; try yoga or meditation; take a trip; connect with those you’ve missed—just enjoy something relaxing or rewarding and unrelated to work.

Shoulder a workload that’s sustainable

Remember, work is a marathon, not a sprint. If your workload isn’t sustainable, you must resolve this issue. It is completely reasonable to expect that you’ll experience unusually intense periods of work, but if it’s ongoing, you need to speak to someone and make some changes.

Remember the bottom line

When faced with managing a heavy workload, your frame of mind will be the decisive factor in your ability to remain calm, focused, and successful. Whenever you sense yourself beginning to get overwhelmed, look to see where you can improve your outlook, or make powerful requests of others to obtain the support you need.