Conflicting Priorities at Work: Why It Happens and How to Regain Clarity

Erwin van den Burg
18 juli 2025

“It’s not that I can’t do either,” my colleague once said after a stressful meeting. “It’s that I can’t do both — and nobody will say which one comes first.”

I’ve experienced the same. A manager once told me that Task A had to be done immediately. The very next sentence? “But Task B has priority.”
It wasn’t a riddle. It was just workplace reality.

Conflicting priorities are one of the most common — and most stressful — problems at work. When everything is urgent, nothing feels manageable. And when nobody tells you what really matters, it’s easy to feel like you’re failing at everything.

In this article, we’ll explore why conflicting priorities are so stressful, what causes them, and how you can regain clarity — even in chaotic environments.

What Are Conflicting Priorities at Work?

Conflicting priorities happen when you’re expected to meet multiple demands that compete for your time, attention, or energy — often with overlapping or contradictory deadlines.

Common signs include:

  • Being assigned multiple “top priorities” at once
  • Receiving unclear or shifting expectations from different supervisors
  • Feeling unable to satisfy all requests, even with overtime
  • Getting blamed no matter which task you complete first

These situations don’t just create confusion. They put your nervous system on high alert, which is part of the brain's stress response. You’re constantly switching focus, anticipating blame, and trying to meet impossible expectations.

Why Conflicting Priorities Trigger So Much Stress

The stress doesn’t only come from the workload — it comes from a loss of control.

When priorities are clear, you can structure your day, make decisions, and feel confident you’re on track. But when priorities conflict, you’re forced to guess. That guesswork increases:

  • Mental load (you’re constantly evaluating what to do next)
  • Decision fatigue (small choices feel exhausting)
  • Self-doubt (“Did I pick the wrong task to focus on?”)

This type of uncertainty is a major stressor. It drains your energy and undermines motivation — even when you’re working hard.

Common Causes of Conflicting Priorities

These situations don’t happen in a vacuum. Some of the most common causes include:

Poor Communication Between Managers or Teams

Different leaders may assign tasks without coordinating timelines or responsibilities.

Shifting Organizational Goals

When company priorities change, previous tasks may not be cancelled — just overshadowed.

Too Many Stakeholders

Multiple people asking for different outcomes, without a single decision-maker in charge.

Lack of Role Clarity

You’re expected to “do it all,” without a clear sense of boundaries or ownership.

When Pressure Is a Strategy — and Why It Backfires

Sometimes, conflicting priorities aren't just a result of miscommunication or oversight. In some organizations, they’re the product of a deeper management strategy: intentionally increasing pressure to drive performance. The idea is simple — when everything feels urgent, people will move faster and deliver more.

But this approach often backfires.

Instead of boosting productivity, it creates stress, confusion, and a culture of reactive firefighting. Employees end up rushing between tasks, second-guessing what truly matters, and feeling like they’re always behind — no matter how hard they work. Over time, motivation drops, decision fatigue sets in, and burnout becomes a real risk.

In other words, pressure may drive short-term output, but clarity drives sustainable performance.

How to Handle Conflicting Priorities (Without Burning Out)

You might not be able to eliminate conflicting demands entirely. But you can manage them more effectively — and reduce the stress they cause.

Here’s how:

1. Ask for Clarity, Not Perfection

Instead of silently struggling, ask your manager a direct question:
“If I can’t complete both today, which one takes priority?”
You’re not refusing — you’re requesting guidance.

2. Document and Confirm

After any conversation about task priorities, write a short follow-up:
“Just to confirm — I’ll focus on Task B today, and Task A will follow tomorrow.”
This protects you if timelines slip and helps others stay aligned.

3. Share the Impact, Not Complaints

If no clear answer is given, explain the consequences:
“If I dedicate time to the presentation this afternoon, I won’t be able to finalize the report by 5 p.m. Is that OK?”

This shows responsibility — not resistance.

4. Flag Problems Early

Don’t wait until a deadline is missed. Speak up the moment it becomes clear you can’t do everything. Read here how you can do this best.

5. Negotiate Support or Deadlines

Sometimes it’s not about choosing Task A or B — it’s about asking for:

  • Temporary help from a colleague
  • A deadline extension
  • The removal of less essential tasks

You’re not letting anyone down. You’re ensuring the work gets done well — not just fast.

For Managers: Conflicting Priorities Are a Leadership Problem

Managers sometimes believe they’re empowering their team by “letting them decide.” But if the team doesn’t have clear guidance, it’s not empowerment — it’s abdication.

Here’s what helps:

  • Make your top priorities visible, and revisit them regularly
  • Avoid the phrase “everything is important” — it destroys focus
  • Give permission to push back when capacity is exceeded

Leadership isn’t about assigning everything. It’s about helping your team focus on the right things at the right time.

Clarity Isn’t a Luxury — It’s a Necessity to Prevent Stress

When people are clear about what matters, they work with more focus, energy, and confidence.
When priorities are in conflict, stress rises — and so do mistakes, turnover, and disengagement.

You won’t always have full control over your workload. But you can ask for clarity. You can communicate early. You can push for realistic planning — for yourself and your team.

Even one aligned conversation can replace a week of silent stress.