Have new performance targets at work left you feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Everyone feels that way sometimes. High-performance targets don’t always encourage us to give our best. Quite often they leave us feeling stressed and unmotivated.
In this article, OpenUp psychologist Eva Rüger shares some tips on how to manage these challenges better so you can tackle your new targets with confidence.
Why targets are useful—and can even help you
How do you feel about performance targets? Do they provide useful guidance, or do they seem like arbitrary goals set by management? If you’re feeling overwhelmed by new targets, you first need to check in with yourself. Ask yourself why you feel this way. Maybe past experiences have shaped your perception, or maybe you have imposter syndrome – a little voice in your head that keeps saying that you’re not good enough.
Take some time to figure out what’s behind your feelings and return to your new targets with a fresh outlook. Remember that targets can be useful and they may even help you to prioritise and organise your work better.
When set effectively, targets can help you:
- Focus on the most important tasks
- Create clarity between management and employees
- Drive personal and professional growth
- Encourage responsibility and motivation
Ideally, performance targets should boost motivation and help you celebrate progress. Even if you don’t hit every goal, you’ll likely achieve more than if you had none at all.
However, one key factor determines whether targets truly work: they must be realistic and achievable.
What healthy targets look like
If you feel overwhelmed by the targets you’ve been set, it’s worth first taking a step back and examining them closely. “It’s normal to feel overwhelmed sometimes. To calm down again and refuel your energy, it first helps to identify that you’re feeling overwhelmed,” says psychologist Eva Rüger.
“Try to remove yourself from the situation (both mentally and physically). Step away from your desk or, if possible, go outside on your lunch break and get some fresh air,” recommends Eva, continuing: “Once you feel calm again, you can look back at your performance targets and start to assess them more logically.”
You can reflect on the following questions: Are these targets achievable? Do I know the reason for these targets? How clear and tangible are the steps it would take to achieve these targets?
A McKinsey study found that employees see performance targets as fair and effective when they meet these three requirements:
- Individual targets are linked to company targets
- Effective coaching measures are given
- Employees are compensated for meeting targets
If something isn’t clear, having a conversation with your manager can help clarify expectations and set you up for success.
Tips for achieving constructive targets
After you’ve taken time to calm down again after that initial wave of overwhelm, you can start to forge plans for achieving your new targets.
These tips will help you here:
🎯 Make your targets as specific as possible
When discussing your targets with your manager, make sure that they are as specific as possible. “Targets like ‘do something better, more, or less’ can quickly become vague, making it difficult to define the first step and move forward accordingly,” says Eva. If you’re finding it hard to make a goal tangible, then reflect on the following questions: What will be different when I’ve achieved the target? How will I know that I’ve hit my target? How will other people know that I’ve achieved it?
🪜 Divide the target into individual steps
Performance targets that stretch over a long period can be particularly overwhelming. Therefore, try to divide big targets into as small steps as possible.“Keep these partial targets feasible and ask yourself what the first step is that you can take towards the goal today, even if it’s just something small,” recommends Eva.
📝 Prioritise your tasks
Which of your daily tasks contribute towards achieving your target? Well-known methods, such as the Pareto Principle might help you to assign value to your various tasks and to put unimportant tasks on the back burner if they aren’t helping you to achieve your targets. “Understanding the why behind your targets not only helps you to find the right drive, energy and motivation but also helps you prioritise them effectively,” says Rüger.
💬 Communicate your targets to create accountability
When it comes to your specific goals, it can help to involve other people and create accountability. Sharing your progress with a mentor, colleague, or even a friend can help you stay on track. Eva advises: “In a professional context, it’s important to clearly communicate challenges and identify what support you need from others to achieve your targets. Open dialogue with your manager or team can ensure that your goals are both achievable and aligned with broader objectives.”
🗓️ Plan ahead
Good time management is essential for any project. Remember that you won’t have the same amount of time and energy each week, so plan ahead. Eva recommends tackling one target at a time: “This way you can focus your attention and energy on what’s right in front of you.”
Achieving new performance targets can be challenging, but with the right mindset and preparation, they can become growth opportunities. By setting clear goals, breaking them into manageable steps, and maintaining open communication, you’ll be better equipped to stay motivated and succeed.
