Category: News

How To Deal With Change: Prepare yourself and learn from it.

Change is something that we all experience in some form or another, and we all respond to it differently. Personally, at times I’ve found myself feeling overwhelmed, anxious and rebellious when faced with change. I think those are natural reactions to a sense of loss or uncertainty.

I’ve had to learn to accept and embrace change. I think it’s a skill worth developing because change is part of the natural order of things. We change as we get older and the people around us change too. Even our environment changes over time.

My tips for thinking about change are to:

Be aware of how you feel about changes.

Realise that change is inevitable, it’s not a bad thing. Try and embrace the fact that change is something that will happen and adapt accordingly. Take some time to get used to it before making decisions.

Begin thinking about changes in your life.

For example, start writing down changes you want to make whether it’s things like: new job, moving, relationships or exercise. A little preparation before the change helps you make decisions that are more informed and also helps cement your intentions in your mind so they’re easier to keep track of.

Make sure that you have all the info you need when making decisions.

More info = fewer mistakes. For example, go out and get the phone number of the company you’re thinking of applying to, read up on what it’s like to work there, call or go in and ask some questions. This way you can make an informed decision about whether or not it’s really for you.

Be patient with yourself.

It takes time to adjust to change in your life and sometimes things just don’t feel right no matter how hard you try. Take time to process whatever negative feelings you might be experiencing.

Try and learn from the changes in your life.

Sometimes we learn by making mistakes, if you’re finding things especially tough, try to figure out what’s preventing you from moving forward. It might be a lack of support or you’re not taking the steps you need to take to make things better.

For example, I once got an offer for a job and I was VERY excited. However, I didn’t know what was involved in this job or if I would be good at it. My anxiety and fear of change caused me to put off making the decision about whether or not to accept it. This made me more anxious and stressed about making the decision. It turned into a vicious circle.

Sometimes it’s difficult to know how others will react to change, so be prepared for all outcomes. By preparing yourself you will be better equipped to deal with events when they occur. If you have a plan and have prepared yourself well, you are more likely to respond well and make the best decisions possible under the circumstances.

Change can be positive or negative and you must be open to both options.

Be sure that you are prepared for both scenarios. This means that if change is something negative, prepare yourself to deal with the problem effectively. If change is positive then prepare yourself to look at the pros and cons of any situation that may arise.

Surround yourself with people who can help you deal with change.

Although it’s important to be independent, it’s also important to have good support around you when dealing with any kind of major life event.

People tend to change because of changes in their environment.

For example: if you move to a new place things might change such as getting a new job, going to college, getting married etc. Here are some ways that other people will change too:

• Social changes : e.g. friends, family, relationships and social life will be affected by the move.
• Career changes : e.g. you might get a different job, change jobs, be promoted, have more or less work etc.
• Living environment changes : e.g. becoming a parent, getting married or buying a house are all massive changes to your living environment and therefore there will be many changes that happen in your life due to these circumstances.
• Financial changes : e.g. getting a new job, buying a house or having a baby will all lead to plenty of financial changes that will happen in your life.

Whether you’re going through any kind of major change in your life, be open to the fact that things might not always work out as planned and you just have to accept it. Sometimes change is difficult, but the best thing we can do is learn to cope.

The following is a useful, simple and quick exercise that you can do to change your way of thinking about change.

Find 4 pieces of paper and write down different life events on each one (for example: moving house, getting married etc.). Now place these pieces of paper into a hat. Then choose a piece from the hat and think about how you will handle that event. If it’s something positive, think about how you expect things will turn out well. If it’s a negative situation, think about how you expect things to turn out. Then place the chosen piece of paper back into the hat and choose another event to think about. This exercise can be used to deal with all kinds of change, including any that you might have in your life such as moving house or getting engaged. It will help you deal with change by making use of your imagination and make yourself more aware of what is likely to happen when things do change.

So where does that leave us?

I now live in a world where I’m aware of the changes happening to me and around me, wherever they lead. I’ve learned that change is inevitable, even good change which can bring opportunity and growth. It’s not always exciting, especially when it feels like a loss of control or the end of something you love. But ultimately it’s speeding up my learning process and has helped make me adaptable to new situations. It’s made life more interesting too, full of new possibilities that weren’t there before. And I’m better for it.

Ignoring Business Problems Can Lead To Stress You Don’t Need!

If you don’t have time to deal with your business’s problems, it won’t be long before they’ll start taking a toll on your well-being. If you’re feeling stressed, it may be because ignoring the problem is causing you to anticipate the worst-case scenario for what might happen if it remains unchecked. Like a small wildfire, if you deal with it quickly, it will continue to grow until it’s too big to stop!

Although it may seem like a bad situation right now, there are many ways in which you can make the most of it. For example, this could be an opportunity to grow and improve yourself.
Accept that managing your problems is going to take some time and effort, but that in the end, your hard work will be worth it.

It’s important to look at the problems that face your business and see them as little challenges. You may have tried to ignore them, thinking that they’re not worth the time or effort, but if you don’t solve them properly, you risk upsetting your clients and losing money.

As much as it may hurt to admit it, in most cases ignoring problems can be more expensive than dealing with them.

It’s easy to think that nothing can be done about a business problem. It’s tempting to say “I’ve tried everything I can think of; I’m out of ideas.” However, this won’t help your business survive.

Here are some tips to help you deal with your problems:

1. Make a list of all the problems that are currently bothering you. Prioritise the list in terms of how much it will cost you if it’s not solved quickly, as well as how much time and effort it’s going to take to solve each problem.

2. Write down at least one possible solution for every problem, along with reasons why it might or might not work. Remember, if you’re part of a team, you have access to a range of skills to help you.

3. Talk to a friend or mentor about the first problem on your list. Ask them for any advice they might have on how to solve it (if you don’t feel comfortable talking to your friends about your problems, find someone else you know and trust).

4. Take a break. Frequently we become very efficient at doing tasks but we forget how vital it is to have breaks once in a while. It is also important to reward yourself for getting your work done.

5. Get some sleep. Many of us are so busy that we’re never fully rested. During the day, your brain is wired to ignore problems if you’re being productive and focussed. Often the solution to our problems comes at night when we can most fully process what happened during the day and better formulate plausible solutions. Meditation is also a wonderful tool to allow your brain to problem solve.

6. Gradually build your tolerance for stress. It’s important to start small and build up into manageable levels, or you’ll burn out quickly and lose motivation to deal with things that really matter. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. It’s also important to know which tasks are most important. You might fail at making a big impact but keep in mind that there are little things you can do every day that will make a big impact over time.

7. Alternatively, you may choose to reduce your exposure to stressors. client issues, supplier problems, dealing with family problems, or managing health problems like depression and anxiety can take its toll on your life. It’s important to find ways to experience more pleasure and happiness in your life.

8. Delegate as much as you can. Delegating is one of the best strategies for reducing stress. You’re unlikely to do everything yourself; it’s important to realise that there are many other people in the world who could be better suited than you for tasks that don’t matter.

9. Do something that helps you relax. A cold shower can help clear your head, as can a jog, exercise or a brisk walk. When your mind is clearer, see if you’re able to think of additional solutions to your problems.

10. If you’re surrounded by people who don’t respect your effort or who distract you from focusing on your work, ask them not to disturb you when you’re working or find them some work to do elsewhere.

Looks, it’s not unusual to feel defeated when business problems start piling up on you. This does not need to be the end of your business. You can survive if you’re willing to spend the time that’s necessary to find your own solutions or get a problem-solver in, whether it’s an employee or an outside expert. The key is to not give up and to keep a positive attitude.

Don’t succumb to the feeling that your business is doomed. When it feels like things are spiralling out of control, remember that it’s only an illusion. You’re just in a situation where you feel uncertain about how to proceed.

Face Your Problems Before They Burn Your Business To The Ground

It’s not uncommon for people to act as if they are “too busy” or not “in the mood” to deal with a business problem, and while this can certainly be understandable at times, there are costs that come along with procrastinating.

The first and most obvious cost is the risk of an issue turning into a major problem in which you need to invest more time and money than what might have been necessary if it had been dealt with promptly. A second cost is that every day you wait is another day where your company haemorrhages money because it’s not operating optimally from a revenue perspective. Finally, procrastinating on a problem gives it the chance to build up and become emotionally draining as well.

It’s good to take action, but to ensure you’re taking the RIGHT action, consider these five “problem solving” tips:

1. Recognise that there is a problem and that problems are just bad situations that can be improved upon or eliminated. This point seems obvious, but for leaders it’s important to be vigilant and to make sure that you aren’t ignoring warning signs that the business is heading in the wrong direction. It can be difficult to see changes that could cause a collapse, but they do happen all the time.

Leaders who fail to recognise the warning signs and try to ignore them as “bad luck” can be shocked when they find out that the business has imploded. Accept accountability for fixing problems, even if it wasn’t your fault in the first place. When a problem occurs, people are far more likely to blame someone else than they are to step up and take responsibility for making things better and this often leads to disaster.

2. Do your research and understand the root of the problem. This is a key to preventing future problems because you will be better equipped to fix a problem if you can identify its source. If you can’t identify the root of the problem, you should probably seek outside assistance in the form of a coach, mentor or more experienced staff member.

Do your best to communicate your findings and proposed solutions, or a timeline for when you think they can be implemented, with all team members. This is where having a solid network of advisors and mentors comes in handy because their advice will help you to determine how to effectively communicate with others so that they are able to support you while also understanding why it’s important to focus on the problem at hand.

Take action on what seems like the smartest course of action for resolving the problem and keeping the business running smoothly.

3. Don’t fix what isn’t broken. If a problem is truly rooted in a bad or out-dated process, finding ways to improve it will always be in your best interest (and that of the business). The keys are to look for new and better ways, and to practice what you learn.

Be up front about what you’re able to do. Many leaders know they have problems but don’t recognise the extent of their ineptitude in solving these problems. Or, they believe that a change that is not a full-blown solution can be the best thing for the business because it will improve its performance in other ways, often without considering unforeseen negative consequences.

When you decide to initiate a change but don’t specify exactly which change is being made or when it will occur, people may not understand why you are pushing it so quickly and they might start to question whether it’s actually needed.

4. Acknowledge that problems create stress and fear in people. These emotions are what lead them to working hard to protect their income. Embrace the fear and make it your driving force. You need to acknowledge the stress, but don’t let it stop you from taking action.

Acknowledge that you have the skills and knowledge to overcome these emotions and turn them into positive energy. Remember that problems are often opportunities for growth, but you must take the risk to help make it happen. This is where your experience will pay off because it will help you to identify when an opportunity for growth is also an opportunity for failure if you aren’t prepared to handle it correctly.

If you do take action, be sure that what you’re doing makes sense or doesn’t change anything so much that the whole business suddenly drops off a cliff.

5. Finally, don’t engage in the “must-do-it-right-now” myth. This mindset is a dangerous one, which can lead to taking action prematurely on something that may not be fully thought through or considered without investing the time to truly understand what is behind the situation. It can also lead you to reactive actions, at the best of times, are usually the result of responding to the actions of others. For example, you might take reactive action in response to an clients aggression or to a random act of stupidity. Reactive actions can be emotionally and physically draining, and if dealt with poorly can damage your business or result in even worse issues.

The bottom line is that you should do to the best of your ability what you can (e.g. work out a solution) before unnecessarily starting something that may take time to complete or end up costing significantly more than it would have if you had done things right from the start., and you don’t want to be in a constant state of reactionary management.

In conclusion, the biggest problem solvers in business are the most successful entrepreneurs. The ability to recognise a problem and take steps to solve it as fast as possible is possibly the most important skill an entrepreneur can possess. When problems occur in business, you must solve them as quickly and efficiently as possible before they become major issues that can threaten the viability of you company.