Learn how technical teams are reducing stress and overwhelm by making their work visible. This guide focuses on simple first steps that make everyone's job easier - no pressure, no forced changes.
The Reality We All Face
As engineers, we know these daily challenges:
- Too many things in progress at once
- Constant context switching between tickets
- Never enough time to finish anything properly
- Pressure to start new work before finishing current work
- Feeling overwhelmed but not wanting to ask for help, because everyone else is busy too.
"I was drowning in tickets," shares one engineer. "I thought working on multiple things at once was efficient. Turns out it was the source of my stress."
A Different Approach: See Your Work
Step 1: Just Look
Keep working exactly as you do now, but add one thing:
- Open TopLeft alongside your PSA
- Watch where your tickets actually go
- Notice how many things you're juggling
- See what gets stuck and why
Important: This isn't about changing anything yet. Just observe.
What Teams Usually Notice
- "I didn't realize I had 15 tickets in progress"
- "No wonder I'm stressed - I'm switching tasks constantly"
- "Half my tickets are just waiting for responses"
- "We keep starting new work instead of finishing what's open"
Making Things Easier
Once teams see their work visually, they naturally want to:
- Finish one thing before starting another
- Help each other with stuck work
- Keep priorities clear
- Make time entry simple
Key Point: These improvements come from the team seeing problems themselves, not from being told what to do.
A Day Using TopLeft
Here's how one engineer describes their improved workflow:
"I start my day seeing exactly what I'm working on - no hunting through PSA screens. I finish one ticket completely before starting another. When I need help, it's obvious who's available. Time entry happens while I work, not in a Friday panic. Most importantly, I feel in control of my day."
Daily Team Huddles
The most successful teams have quick, 10-minute morning check-ins:
- Share what you're working on
- Point out where you're stuck
- Ask for help when needed
- See the whole team's work
Note: These work because everyone can see the same board. No status reports, no pressure - just quick coordination.
What About Urgent Work?
Urgent issues become more visible, not less. The board shows:
- What's truly urgent vs just "urgent"
- Who's available to help
- What gets delayed when we switch
- Clear priorities for everyone
Common Concerns
Won't this slow us down?
"I thought the same thing," shares one technician. "But finishing one thing before starting another actually meant I got more done. Less juggling, less stress."
What if I need help?
The board makes it easy to show where you're stuck without feeling bad about asking. Everyone can see when collaboration would help.
How long until we see benefits?
Teams usually spot improvement opportunities within days of making work visible. But give yourself time to get comfortable - there's no rush.
What about customer expectations?
Customers get faster results because we're finishing work instead of just starting it. One team dropped their open tickets from 300+ to under 15 just by focusing on completion.
Getting Started
- Open TopLeft alongside your PSA
- Just watch your work for a week
- Notice what the team points out
- Make small improvements when they feel right
Remember: There's no pressure to change everything at once. Let improvements come naturally as the team sees opportunities.
Simple Next Steps
When your team is ready:
- Try finishing one ticket before starting another
- Have a quick morning check-in
- Log time as you work
- Help each other with stuck work
Need Help?
Contact our support team at help@topleft.team. We'll show you how other technical teams made this work in a way that fitted their style.