None of us can maintain a high level of unchecked activity every minute of every working day. Often, this type of “work as fast as you can” approach leads to mental and emotional exhaustion which invariably leads to anxiety and causes overwhelm. And, that brings on the frustration at the end of this downward spiral. Productivity is lost, service goes down the drain and it basically turns into a lousy day.
Most of the time when we are stalled and frustrated, we get easily side-tracked and distracted, then get caught up in “busy work” which usually has no value.
When you find yourself getting stalled and frustrated, stop thinking about what your next “10” steps need to be and ask yourself this simple question: “ What’s just one thing I can do now that will put me back on a positive track to improve the situation? Something that worked for me in the past – maybe as recent as yesterday – that changed the momentum from negative to positive?”
Remember: just one thing.
Related: Why You Need to Step Up and Play Big
Why this question? Well, your mind is probably filled with a fair amount of negative self-talk and you need to reverse it as soon as possible to regain a proper and “positive” perspective. When you’re in a negative mental “funk” you can’t think clear enough to develop the right solutions. You can if you’re in a positive state of mind.
Complex problems that frustrate and stall us don’t usually require complex solutions. The best solutions can be simple and are best reached one step at a time. Don’t try to deal with the totality of the issue in one sitting. That’s just madness, and nothing good will come from it.