Changes

One thing you can always be sure of, things always change. In my last post, but the first after a long break, I mentioned that a lot has been happening in my life and a number of things for me both personally and professionally will undergo very significant change in coming months. As these events unfold, I expect I will post about it.

When we do have a lot of things go through evolution, or even revolution in our life in a short space of time, it is too easy for it all to overwhelm and place us under enormous stress, or even drown us. In these situations it is easy for someone outside of your situation to try and be helpful with a well meant "don't worry about it", "it will be fine I'm sure" or the always optimistic "change is good, embrace it, run with it!"

These sentiments are all very well and but we all know it is never that simple. If it was, we wouldn't get stressed in the first place and just get on with it.

One approach has really helped me cope up to now at least. No matter what changes you are being bombarded with, you can always classify them into two categories, those you have control over, and those you have no control over.

Let's discuss the second category first, the changes you have no control over. One example for most of us is a global financial crisis, which may ultimately result in a winding back of activity at your workplace and eventually, job losses. You have little or no control over this, so all you can do is manage the risk as best you can (eg. don't take unnecessary financial undertakings, keep an eye out for other job opportunities, maintain good timekeeping and attitude at work so you are not standing out as a good candidate to be laid off) and just get on with it.

For every change that is outside of your control, the only real approach you can use is the same, be aware of what is happening around you, minimise any impact through making careful decisions and if a sensible opportunity arises to escape or resolve the change, take it. Once you have worked through this, there is nothing else you can do, but let the situation look after itself and move on.

That then leaves you with those things you can control. There is more work to be done here, but the reward is that you can fix it, and make things better for you. First you need to take the time to analyse the change or problem. Then, make a list of what actions you need to do to influence this back in your favour, or even fix it completely. Finally, it's time to put the rubber on the road and actually get it done. Sometimes these actions may be difficult, or uncomfortable, but ultimately if they need to be done, you have no choice.

It's always easier to write or talk about these things, but if you square away the items that you have no real control over, you can then concentrate on the stuff you can work on, and before you know it, you've survived what could have been a very tough period in your life.

Well that's my plan for the moment, let's see how it goes.

Later.