I worked in digital media for 7 years, 3 of those as a channel lead. The main challenge I, my colleagues, and my clients face is that we have massive workloads, and everything feels like a priority.
This should be manageable still with proper time management, prioritisation, training, and delegation. But is it really that simple?
There are multiple factors why this typical advice doesn’t always work. Let’s talk about it.
You balance team satisfaction, client expectations, and work quality while coming up with an outstanding strategy
As a channel or account lead in a paid media agency, you’re constantly juggling at least four, if not more, distinct responsibilities. You’re expected to manage billable hours for your team, meet client expectations, and ensure your team delivers high-quality work, all while contributing directly to projects.
The challenge lies in fulfilling both your specialist duties and leadership responsibilities simultaneously—a balancing act that feels overwhelming to most of us.
You need to manage team deliverables despite being under-resourced
While resource crunches have always been an issue, I’ve noticed this getting worse in recent years. I blame the post-COVID slowdown for this, as businesses started cutting their advertising budgets.
Many agencies implemented hiring freezes, which left teams further under-resourced and overstretched. Even if teams managed to make a case for open roles, agencies often went down one of two routes: either they hired a bunch of graduates who needed upskilling, or they resigned themselves to searching for someone for 6-12 months.
You have a meeting-heavy schedule, and pings cause split focus and background work
Internal check-ins, external client status meetings, and one-on-ones … There are days when we have back-to-back meetings all morning, all afternoon, or, in the most gruelling cases, the entire day.
It’s even worse when someone books a meeting over your lunch break.
If you spend most of your time in meetings, when do you get work done? The reality is that much of it happens during the meetings, because you’re not fully paying attention, or during your lunch breaks, or after work.
To deliver, you have to work overtime most days of the week
Competing priorities, under-resourcing, and spending most of your work time in conditions that allow for very little focus time. The only quality focus time available is after hours when pinging and scheduling meetings becomes less acceptable. However, when this becomes a regular occurrence, it starts having detrimental effects on your health and personal relationships.
Ironically, I was very rarely directly asked to stay late to complete something. Some might have even said that I should log off. However, the pressure remained, and there was often little to no understanding as to why things hadn’t been done or delivered.
So what can we do?
The truth is, that working in a digital advertising agency is demanding. We’re in an industry that values drive, ambition, and a relentless work ethic. But even the most committed among us can find it difficult to maintain motivation under constant pressure.
While these challenges are inherent in our work, they shouldn’t come at the expense of our health, well-being, or long-term success. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, know that you’re not alone—and that it’s entirely possible to find a better balance.
I’m dedicated to helping digital advertising professionals manage these challenges, reclaim their time, and reconnect with what truly matters. If you’re ready to explore ways to create a more sustainable and fulfilling approach to your work, let’s start a conversation.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss how we can work together to foster a healthier, more balanced leadership style in our industry.
