When you're covering for a coworker who is out of the office, it can be difficult to keep up. To maintain your sanity and stay productive, put the onus on your colleague to do a clear handoff of responsibilities. Ask for a plan with details on the status of projects, next steps, deadlines, and key contacts. Once the colleague leaves, focus on deadlines and what's critical to accomplish each day; less-urgent tasks will have to wait. But keep an eye on what's coming up next. You may need to work further ahead than usual, because there's a greater chance that something unexpected will happen, or that multiple deadlines will be clustered together. And you may be tempted to spend extra time in the office, but don't overdo it. Putting in long hours can make you resentful and lessen your productivity. There's only so much you can do each day — and that's OK.
Adapted from "What to Do When You're Covering for Colleagues — and Can't Keep Up," by Elizabeth Grace Saunders
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