Five Steps to Regain Control During a Crap Storm
Have you ever felt overwhelmed or like the universe was just piling it on you? You might experience that when one thing after another goes wrong or gets cancelled or somehow goes sideways. On some occasions, you might call this spiraling out of control. Whether you feel a tinge of this or you feel like it’s on maximum overload, the negative emotions you experience in these situations can cloud your judgement and decision-making skills.
If you ever feel like you’re having “one of those days,” help your brain move from negative emotional mode into logical-thinking mode by:
- Acknowledging that things are not going as planned.
Even though this post is about regaining control and moving forward, it’s important to not completely repress your emotions. Acknowledge that you’re not experiencing the level of happiness or joy that you’d like to. Acknowledge that you are indeed having a doozie of a day. And you’re about to change course.
- Take a deep breath.
You might have heard that meditation and deep breathing are a part of calming the mind, heart and soul. This is true. But when you don’t have 15 to 30 minutes to devote to a meditation or mindfulness session, you can begin inviting calm in by simply taking a few deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose, counting to four. Hold your breath in (if medically safe for you), counting to four. Breathe out through your mouth, counting to four. When you repeat this three or four times, you can begin to feel some of the weight subside.
- Walk around for two minutes.
Neuroscience studies show that walking around for as little as a few minutes begins to activate the problem-solving part of our brain. If your day has not gone according to plan, chances are you’re going to have to figure out a new path to take either through or around the barriers that you’re experiencing. To do that, you’ll want the problem-solving part of your brain kicked into gear to help you make better decisions more quickly.
- Look at your original to-do list for the day and make your adjustments.
What outcomes were you expecting today? What will need to be done in order to make those outcomes still happen today? If not today, when can they or will they? Do you need to change the order of what you planned to work on based on the new date(s) for when things will need to happen? With the problem-solving portion of your brain flipped to the “on position,” you’ll be able to better triage your situation and make adjustments.
- At the end of the day, give yourself a pat on the back.
It’s always important to give yourself credit for what you accomplish, no matter how big or small. This is especially important on days when things go wrong. By focusing on the positive first, then addressing and learning from what didn’t go right, you’ll keep your brain in a positive mode, which will help both the logical and emotional parts of it function better.
It would be nice to think that if you’re super organized and plan everything out, all will go smoothly. But you’re probably aware that if other humans are involved, that often won’t be the case. (This should be a reminder to your future self to always add in some extra time to your plan for moments like these.) Because these hiccups have become more common for many, it’s important to be familiar with these steps in order to recover more quickly and regain control of your day.
For tips on how to work more efficiently even when things don’t go your way, check out The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer.
