What do you do when you are being pulled in too many directions, when there is too much work to do all at the same time?

1. Paralysis is a typical response when overwhelmed.

2. Keep inching each project forward little by little to the detriment of all.

3. Just keep moving on one and let the others suffer until it's done.

4. Prioritizing and tackling each in order. This seems the same as "just keep moving on one" with a little planning.

I think I cycle through these responses. As pressure from PMs rise or deadlines approach, my strategy escalates from one to the next. However, starting at prioritization would probably be ideal.

The problem comes when priorities are unclear or unpredictable. If everything is top priority, there can be no ranking, so there is effectively no priority. If unpredictable, as in a "putting out fires" situation or "oiling the squeakiest wheel" case, this strategy falls apart.

I think this is where I am at, currently: a mixture of unclear and unpredictable priorities. Not fun.

PMs, do better.