A task explosion happens when you are suddenly faced with more tasks than you are used to. I’ve faced many times where you suddenly need to handle twice as much work, with twice the pressure. Stress levels rise, and you might feel about ready to snap.

I’ve prepared a survival list of things to do when you get caught in the middle of a task explosion. Hopefully these tips can help you get a bit more done, and keep you from pulling the hair out of your head.

1. Stop and Think - When the explosion hits, you are probably still reeling from the impact, unsure what to do. Working randomly is about the worst plan to use, since you may accomplish less critical tasks when big problems lie in the background.

2. Know What You’re Prepared to Leave Behind - After you’ve paused yourself, it is time to assess your priorities. Ask yourself what you’ll need to give up if the time starts ticking down. Anything that isn’t crucial needs to be pushed back.

3. Begin Immediately - As soon as you’ve decided what is most important, get working. Some people react to a task explosion by procrastinating or working on something easy. If that is your case, plan your next step and take action right away.

4. Shuffle Work - A sudden doubling of your workload doesn’t give you much time to adapt. When this happens to me, I make sure I shuffle my work in 60-90 minute chunks so I don’t get overtired. Shuffling means placing tasks that use different skills after each other. Do reading tasks for sixty minutes then switch to one that involves writing or communicating. This will allow you to work longer and harder.

5. Are You Heading for a Nuclear Winter? - Is this task explosion temporary or is it going to be a permanent adjustment. If you think that this explosion might have a long-term impact, it’s a good idea to assess your life in general. What commitments need to be dropped in order for you to survive?

6. Useful Laziness - Taking breaks is a good idea if your explosion will last weeks or months. The key is to make sure that your rest counts. How often do you plan to relax but end up wasting your energy on something trivial? Decide what really rejuvenates you and spend your short breaks doing that.

7. Morning Boost - If you know you have a few days with mountains of work ahead, sleep a bit earlier and wake up earlier. When you start your morning early, you are more likely to begin with full force. That momentum will carry you throughout the day so by noon you’ve already got your most important tasks done.

8. Eat Light - Digestion eats up a huge amount of energy (no pun intended). A good way to keep your energy levels high is to eat water-rich vegetables and low fat foods. Stuffing your face with a burger and fries is only going to slow you down.

9. List Everything - A mile is only a bunch of feet strung together. If you list everything that needs to be done, you will feel more confident that you can handle it. The listing process helps take the vague, amorphous blob of work and turns it into bite-sized pieces.

10. Unplug - If the task-explosion injures you, distractions will finish you off. Unplug the phone, internet or computer if you don’t need them that moment. The more noise you have to fight through the harder it will be to focus. Even if the silence is uncomfortable for the first few minutes, you can speed up to a quick flow.

11. Breakdown Delegation - If you’re working with a team, cut the work into large chunks and quickly discuss what needs to be done in each. Interpersonal communication should only happen when strictly necessary. Get everyone to stand up if you need to hold a meeting as that should pick up the pace.

12. Reward Later, Work Now - Find something that can motivate you for the next few hours. Agree to give yourself a reward when you finish your work. The reward doesn’t need to be huge, but even a twenty minute break to do something enjoyable can do the trick. Don’t give yourself the reward first with the expectation to work afterwards! You’ve got your psychology backwards there as it will be just as hard to quit procrastinating after you’ve taken a break.

13. Find Shortcuts - Almost any activity has shortcuts if you look at it broadly enough. Find ways you can cut corners and get things done faster to keep up with demand. Shortcuts might not be advisable when you’ve got time to focus on quality, but if time is against you, do what you need to do.

14. Weigh Consequences - Sometimes you need to take a little pain to avoid a lot of pain. Look at the consequences for not following through on different commitments. If you feel you can’t handle every commitment, find the ones that will give the least pain and break them. It might be the only way to avoid a huge failure because you didn’t manage your time.

15. Exercise - Many people, when they face a task explosion cut exercise first. This might be fine if your explosion lasts only a day or two. But if your workload overload spans weeks and months, this will only hurt you. Exercise helps you sustain high energy levels for working, even if you can only do a 30 minute power workout.

當你突然麵臨比平常更多的任務負載時
，任務大爆炸就要發生了。我經常經曆這種情況：你需要處理兩倍於平常的事務
，承受兩倍於平常的壓力。你精神之弦繃得很緊
，你感覺自己抓狂了，隨時就會崩潰。

    為此我整理出幫你應對任務大爆炸的方法清單。希望這些招數能幫你解決更多一點的問題，不至於你一籌莫展得隻能狂抓自己的頭發。

    1
、停止躊躇觀望，主動思考。當任務爆炸襲擊你的時候，你很有可能還盤旋躊躇於侵襲的漩渦裏，不確定要做什麼。天馬行空、眉(mei)毛(mao)胡(hu)子(zi)一(yi)把(ba)抓(zhua)是(shi)最(zui)糟(zao)糕(gao)的(de)，很(hen)多(duo)時(shi)候(hou)任(ren)務(wu)背(bei)後(hou)可(ke)能(neng)隱(yin)藏(zang)著(zhe)致(zhi)命(ming)問(wen)題(ti)
，如(ru)果(guo)你(ni)眉(mei)毛(mao)胡(hu)子(zi)一(yi)把(ba)抓(zhua)
，很(hen)有(you)可(ke)能(neng)錯(cuo)失(shi)解(jie)決(jue)最(zui)關(guan)鍵(jian)問(wen)題(ti)的(de)最(zui)佳(jia)時(shi)機(ji)。

    2、分析輕重緩急，確定優先順序（了解哪些是可以緩一緩或放棄的任務）。讓自己鎮靜下來後

，就該分析評估任務優先順序了。問問自己: 如果時間緊迫不夠用，必須要放棄哪些任務呢？另外，不是關鍵性的任務都要緩一緩放在日程的後麵。

    3、jikexingdong。yidanniquedingleshenmeshizuizhongyaode

，jiumashangkaishixingdong。henduorenmianduirenwubaozhashi，xiguanyuyituozaituohuozhezhizuorongyizuodeshi。ruguonishizheyang，namebuyaozai“明日複明日”和逃避了
，計劃下一步並即刻行動。

    4、歸gui類lei交jiao錯cuo分fen解jie工gong作zuo負fu荷he。兩liang倍bei於yu平ping常chang的de工gong作zuo負fu荷he突tu然ran襲xi擊ji時shi，你ni是shi猝cu不bu及ji防fang的de，沒mei有you多duo餘yu的de時shi間jian讓rang你ni調tiao整zheng適shi應ying。每mei到dao此ci時shi，我wo就jiu將jiang工gong作zuo分fen解jie到dao若ruo幹gan個ge60-90分鍾的時間段裏
，以確保不會過渡疲勞。歸類交錯分解
，就是將需要不同知識技能的任務項目交錯排列。60分鍾的閱讀任務完成以後
，轉向寫作或交流等其他任務。這樣能保證你工作更持久更投入。

    5、長期任務爆炸的策略（你在通向一個核冬天麼？）。這(zhe)個(ge)任(ren)務(wu)大(da)爆(bao)炸(zha)是(shi)暫(zan)時(shi)的(de)還(hai)是(shi)一(yi)個(ge)長(chang)期(qi)的(de)調(tiao)整(zheng)呢(ne)
？如(ru)果(guo)你(ni)認(ren)為(wei)這(zhe)個(ge)爆(bao)炸(zha)或(huo)許(xu)會(hui)對(dui)你(ni)有(you)長(chang)期(qi)的(de)衝(chong)擊(ji)，那(na)麼(me)，重(zhong)新(xin)評(ping)估(gu)一(yi)下(xia)你(ni)的(de)生(sheng)活(huo)是(shi)一(yi)個(ge)不(bu)錯(cuo)的(de)方(fang)法(fa)。為(wei)了(le)確(que)保(bao)生(sheng)存(cun)下(xia)來(lai)，哪(na)些(xie)擔(dan)子(zi)是(shi)要(yao)卸(xie)下(xia)來(lai)的(de)呢(ne)
？

     6、有效有用的“偷懶”。如果你的任務爆炸將要持續數星期甚至數月，那麼適當休息是很明智的。關鍵在於：確保你的休息是有效有用。你是不是有過這樣的情況：nidasuanxiuxifangsongyixiajieguoquebajinglilangfeizaiwuweidesuoshishang？zhezhongqingxingdefashengdepinlvshiduoshao？quedingdaodishenmenengshinijingshenzhenfennenglianghuanfa，bashijianhuazaizhexieshiqingshang。

    7、一yi天tian之zhi計ji在zai於yu晨chen。如ru果guo你ni預yu先xian知zhi道dao隨sui後hou幾ji天tian你ni的de工gong作zuo負fu荷he堆dui積ji如ru山shan，那na麼me就jiu早zao睡shui早zao起qi。早zao起qi工gong作zuo會hui使shi你ni全quan力li投tou入ru。而er且qie這zhe種zhong動dong量liang會hui伴ban你ni一yi整zheng天tian，通tong常chang你ni一yi天tian中zhong最zui重zhong要yao的de任ren務wu就jiu會hui在zai前qian半ban天tian完wan成cheng。

    8、飲食清淡。食物消化會耗掉很大一部分的能量（無雙關意義）。保持你能量水平的好方法就是吃多汁的蔬菜和低脂食物。往嘴裏隨便塞些漢堡煎炸食品隻會降低你的工作效率。

     9、列(lie)出(chu)要(yao)做(zuo)的(de)每(mei)件(jian)事(shi)。千(qian)裏(li)之(zhi)行(xing)始(shi)於(yu)足(zu)下(xia)

，不(bu)積(ji)跬(kui)步(bu)無(wu)以(yi)至(zhi)千(qian)裏(li)。列(lie)出(chu)每(mei)一(yi)件(jian)你(ni)要(yao)做(zuo)的(de)事(shi)情(qing)會(hui)增(zeng)加(jia)你(ni)處(chu)理(li)駕(jia)馭(yu)這(zhe)些(xie)任(ren)務(wu)的(de)信(xin)心(xin)。列(lie)清(qing)單(dan)的(de)過(guo)程(cheng)將(jiang)模(mo)糊(hu)的(de)無(wu)形(xing)瑣(suo)碎(sui)的(de)任(ren)務(wu)提(ti)取(qu)出(chu)來(lai)
，並(bing)把(ba)它(ta)們(men)轉(zhuan)化(hua)為(wei)易(yi)管(guan)理(li)可(ke)執(zhi)行(xing)的(de)任(ren)務(wu)。

    10、切qie斷duan電dian源yuan
，擯bin除chu幹gan擾rao。如ru果guo說shuo任ren務wu大da爆bao炸zha讓rang你ni遍bian體ti鱗lin傷shang，那na麼me最zui終zhong會hui將jiang你ni置zhi於yu死si地di的de，是shi幹gan擾rao和he分fen心xin。如ru果guo對dui你ni執zhi行xing任ren務wu沒mei有you用yong途tu，拔ba掉diao電dian話hua、wangluohuodiannao。yueduozaoshengheganrao
，yuenanyujizhongjingli。jinguankaishijifenzhongdewushenganjing，kenenghuishinigandaohenbushufu，danshizheyangzuokeyimashangrangnijinrukuaisugaoxiaodejinchengzhong。

    11、分fen工gong合he作zuo
，各ge司si其qi職zhi。如ru果guo你ni效xiao力li於yu一yi個ge工gong作zuo團tuan隊dui，有you效xiao的de方fang法fa是shi將jiang任ren務wu分fen解jie為wei若ruo幹gan子zi部bu分fen
，並bing盡jin快kuai討tao論lun分fen配pei出chu每mei個ge子zi部bu分fen的de詳xiang細xi任ren務wu。隻zhi有you在zai急ji需xu的de情qing況kuang，才cai允yun許xu組zu員yuan間jian的de交jiao流liu。如ru果guo必bi須xu召zhao集ji大da家jia會hui麵mian討tao論lun
，前qian提ti是shi這zhe樣yang的de會hui麵mian必bi須xu有you助zhu於yu保bao持chi工gong作zuo的de進jin展zhan步bu調tiao，而er且qie確que保bao每mei個ge組zu員yuan都dou獨du當dang一yi麵mian。

    12、先苦後甜。為自己隨後幾個工作小時找一個激勵。答應自己在完成任務後給自己一些獎勵
，不需要很大
，哪怕是休息20分鍾來做自己喜歡做的事情就會很奏效。不要破這個先例：允許自己先嚐到獎勵的甜頭再工作。如果你先自我獎勵了，你的心理趨向就很難不去拖延工作了。

    13、尋(xun)找(zhao)省(sheng)時(shi)捷(jie)徑(jing)。如(ru)果(guo)你(ni)能(neng)高(gao)屋(wu)建(jian)瓴(ling)的(de)觀(guan)察(cha)每(mei)件(jian)事(shi)，每(mei)件(jian)事(shi)都(dou)能(neng)找(zhao)到(dao)捷(jie)徑(jing)。為(wei)盡(jin)快(kuai)達(da)到(dao)目(mu)標(biao)，你(ni)通(tong)常(chang)要(yao)找(zhao)到(dao)捷(jie)徑(jing)以(yi)便(bian)迅(xun)速(su)解(jie)決(jue)問(wen)題(ti)。誠(cheng)然(ran)，當(dang)你(ni)有(you)足(zu)夠(gou)時(shi)間(jian)將(jiang)精(jing)力(li)放(fang)在(zai)工(gong)作(zuo)“質量”上的時候
，我們並不讚成你尋找捷徑。但是如果時間緊迫，你就必須尋找通往羅馬最省時間的路了。

    14
、考慮後果，小不忍則亂大謀。有時候你需要先體驗一些小痛苦，為的是避免將來更多的痛苦。仔細考慮一下：如ru果guo不bu能neng完wan成cheng每mei個ge任ren務wu，後hou果guo會hui是shi什shen麼me樣yang的de呢ne
？如ru果guo是shi這zhe樣yang，找zhao出chu讓rang你ni忍ren受shou最zui小xiao痛tong苦ku的de任ren務wu並bing放fang棄qi它ta們men。在zai你ni已yi經jing無wu法fa有you效xiao管guan理li時shi間jian的de時shi候hou，這zhe或huo許xu是shi避bi免mian更geng大da損sun失shi承cheng受shou更geng大da痛tong苦ku的de唯wei一yi途tu徑jing了le。

    15、鍛duan煉lian身shen體ti不bu能neng舍she。很hen多duo人ren遇yu到dao超chao負fu荷he任ren務wu爆bao炸zha時shi，首shou先xian就jiu是shi將jiang鍛duan煉lian身shen體ti從cong日ri程cheng上shang裁cai掉diao。如ru果guo任ren務wu爆bao炸zha隻zhi有you一yi兩liang天tian，這zhe樣yang做zuo也ye無wu妨fang。但dan是shi當dang你ni的de超chao負fu荷he工gong作zuo量liang要yao持chi續xu數shu周zhou甚shen至zhi數shu月yue時shi
，這zhe樣yang做zuo無wu利li反fan害hai。運yun動dong有you助zhu於yu你ni保bao持chi高gao能neng量liang水shui平ping來lai投tou入ru工gong作zuo中zhong，即ji使shi每mei天tian30分鍾的運動也會有幫助。