Talk about a time you felt overwhelmed by your job duties. What did you do to stay organized and on top of your responsibilities?

"A few years ago in the late fall, the holiday shopping season was ramping up, and our store was very short-staffed due to maternity leave and two employees leaving on short notice. While we were short-staffed in the store, it took a full team effort to answer customer questions, stock the shelves, and run the registers. To stay organized, the small team we had on staff used a checklist each day to ensure we didn't miss anything important. Constant communication and flexibility were key to our success. At the end of each day, I took a lot of satisfaction in knowing that I stayed focused and did a great job."

"Over the past four years, my current department has cut staff by almost 50% while the overall amount of work has remained steady. Because of this, my total responsibilities doubled. While this has been overwhelming and even detrimental for my coworkers, my ability to handle the stress has been important. I set time aside at the end of each day to recap what I've done and make a plan to handle the next day. Some of my colleagues can't believe that I set aside 30 minutes to plan, but I know that making a plan saves me considerable time in the long run and makes me more productive. When I feel overwhelmed, I take some personal time during a break to step away and get some fresh air. A quick 10-minute walk outside refreshes me for another half day of work."