Problems, problems, problems. We all have them and we all need to come up with solutions. But how do you go about this task? Do you rely on prior experience, make a pros and con list, procrastinate until the problem either takes care of itself because of your lack of action or do you pass the problem along to someone else and hope that they solve it for you?
The purpose of this entry is not to tell you things you already know, but to remind you of the tools that you have within your reach that you may have forgotten about. When we were in school we learned all about the various problems solving methods, but somewhere along the way we fell into the habit of using the same method again and again. (let’s hope that method is not avoidance)
Stress is caused when we do not have a plan for solving the problems that enter into our lives. Avoiding adds more stress. Think of those things now that are nagging at you, keeping you up at night and what you are doing to take control. It has been proven that the more stress we endure the less effective we are at solving our problems. We can actually reinforce stress and thus make stress a habit. Recall that a habit is “A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.” by not attending to the problem and reducing our stress we are making stress a habit in our lives.
There are numerous methods to solving problems. Here are a few:
- talk with someone you trust
- asking the five whys
- making a pros and cons list
- diagramming the problem, i.e., -Venn , affinity, cause and effect
- SWOT and PEST analysis
- risk analysis
- flow charts
- appreciative inquiry
If you have forgotten any of these tools that are available to help you, you may just want to brush up on their concepts and add them to your own toolbox once again.
To a more peaceful life and better health, manage your stress!
as it obviously touched him. There was nothing written in the email, just the link.
