Trying to fix the problem. How changes happen. How to solve problems quickly and efficiently Can help solve this problem

How well you handle problems often determines your success and happiness. If you cannot figure out how to solve a problem, try to analyze it and break it down into several small parts. Consider whether you should approach the solution of the problem logically or through sensations and feelings? Find a creative approach to this situation by consulting with other people and looking at this problem from different points of view.

Steps

Approach the problem

1. Define the problem. Think about what the problem really is, don't just look at the "symptoms" of the problem. In such a case, it is important to pay attention to the main essence, and not to extraneous sensations that are associated with this problem. You can analyze the accompanying feelings and emotions later. So, get familiar with the main problem and try to fully understand it.

   • For example, if your room is always a mess, the problem may not be that you are dirty. Perhaps you just don’t have enough drawers and shelves to neatly organize and spread out all your belongings.
   • When identifying the underlying problem, be as careful as possible. If it's a personal issue, be honest with yourself to find out what's wrong. If this is a problem that lends itself to a logical explanation, try to understand where and when it first arose.
   • Think about whether this problem is real, or you made it up? Do you need to solve this problem, or is this something you want? Putting the situation into perspective will help you navigate the problem-solving process.

2. Make big decisions first. Think about what decisions you need to make, how and why they are important to solving your problem. Making decisions will help you move forward in solving problems, so first think about what to focus on, what needs to be done, how you are going to do it.

   • For example, you may have several problems that need to be solved. Therefore, you first need to decide which of them to solve first. Solve problems as they come - it will be easier and you will not worry about other problems.
   • Once you make a decision, don't doubt yourself. From now on, be prepared to look to the future without thinking about how things might have been if you had chosen a different option.

3. Simplify the problem. Too complex and global problem is difficult to solve. If there are several similar problems, break them down into smaller components and deal with them individually. Break the problem into smaller parts - so you can understand it and find a solution.

   • For example, if you have many different assignments to complete in order to pass an exam, focus on how many assignments you need to complete and then start completing them one by one.
   • Whenever possible, try to combine the same type of problems and solve them together. For example, if you don't have time to study, try listening to a recorded lecture while you're driving to class (or take a quick look at your notes while you're waiting for lunch).

4. Describe what you know and don't know. Review the information you already have. Then think about what information you still need. Find all the material you need and then organize it properly.

   • For example, if you are trying to take a test, find out what you already know and then decide what else you need to learn. First review what you already know, then start looking for and learning new information from your notes, notebooks and other sources that can help you.

5. Try to predict the results. Come up with a plan B (maybe plan C will come in handy too) so you don't get caught up in just one option. As you come up with possible solutions, think about what each one might lead to. Consider the possible outcomes and how they will affect you and those around you. Think about how things will play out in the best and worst case scenarios.

   • Pay attention to how these scenarios make you feel.

6. Allocate resources. Resources include time, money, effort, travel, and so on. If solving a problem is a top priority for you, you may need to allocate more resources to solving this problem than if it were not a priority for you. Think about what resources you have and how you can use them to solve the problem.

   • For example, if you have a deadline, you might want to skip making dinner or hitting the gym a couple of times to make time for a project.
   • If possible, reduce those tasks that are not necessary. For example, you can save time by ordering groceries or meals online instead of going to the store. The time saved can be spent on other tasks.

   Approach problem solving creatively

   1. Have a brainstorm and come up with several solutions. Think of different ways to solve a problem. Knowing that you have several ways to solve this problem, you will have a choice. After thinking about alternative options, decide which ones are more realistic and which ones are best left out.

      • If you are making a difficult decision, write down a list of alternatives. In this case, you will not forget any possible options and you can immediately cross out those options that seem unrealistic.
      • For example, let's say that you are hungry and therefore need something to eat. Think about whether you want to cook something for yourself, buy fast food, order food, or go to a restaurant or cafe.

   2. Try different approaches to the problem. If you are solving a specific problem, analytical and logical skills will help you the best. In other cases, you will have to rely on emotions to help you solve the problem. Often, solving a problem requires the ability to combine the skills of thinking, feeling, and even intuition. Don't be afraid to use all of these methods, try each one and see what works best for you.

      • For example, if you're considering a job offer that pays well but leaves you too little time for your family, you'll have to approach the problem in a variety of ways. Think about this sentence logically, but also pay attention to your feelings and thoughts, and also imagine how your decision will affect you and those around you.

   3. Ask for advice. If your problem is not solved overnight, seek advice from other people. Perhaps you know someone who has had a similar problem in the past and that person can give you some advice. It is not so important whether you follow his advice - it depends only on you. However, it can be helpful to get a different point of view.

      • For example, if you're buying a house or apartment and don't know how to make a final decision, talk to other homeowners, listen to their opinions about buying a house/apartment and their regrets.

   4. Track progress. If you are working towards a goal, keep track of how things are going. If you are moving forward and succeeding, keep going. If you find that you are not doing very well, consider solving the problem in a different way. You may need to come up with new strategies to solve your problem.

      • For example, if you are having financial difficulties, pay attention to how your efforts affect income and expenses. If the habit of budgeting helps you, keep going. If you don't know how to handle money, try something else.
      • Keep a diary, write in it about your progress, successes and problems. These entries can be read to increase motivation when you feel frustrated.

Problems in life arise in the life of every person constantly, but, unfortunately, not everyone knows how to cope with them. There are those who prefer a heroic battle to stand quietly in a trench, waiting for the enemy to leave on his own or for someone to come to the defense. Such a position is fundamentally wrong, and such an approach to problems must be resolutely combated.

How, instead of hiding from them or waiting for someone to solve them for us, specialists in human psychology know. In view of the increase in the general stressfulness of modern life, psychologists willingly share with others valuable advice on overcoming life's difficulties. All of them agree that every person should by all means learn to solve problems on their own.

Identify a specific problem and its importance

The problem can be considered the loss of keys and dismissal from work, tooth loss and Sometimes a person can write down as a problem a life situation that he has never encountered and which forces him to actions that are unusual for him, knocking him out of his psychological comfort zone. Therefore, before driving yourself into stress, it is worth considering whether the problem is far-fetched.

At the same time, it is important to clearly identify existing problems. You may even have to make a list with their enumeration. The next thing to do is to determine the weight and urgency of each problem. It is important to understand which ones should be resolved first and which ones can wait. You should not rush to solve everything in one fell swoop, as you may simply not have enough strength for this, and the quality of such a decision is greatly reduced.

Develop the Right View

After the true problems are identified and the order of their resolution is built, it is necessary to proceed to the next step - the formation of the correct view of them. Of course, the complexity of situations is different, however, before proceeding with the resolution of each of them, it is necessary to think about what useful things can be learned from it. It sounds strange? Not at all.

The solution to each problem requires you to display one or more qualities at once. This means that the development or training of certain character traits can be considered a positive aspect of each of them. In addition, in difficult situations, we can become more active and smart, we learn to think and behave outside the box. According to scientists, getting out of the psychologically comfortable zone is the best way for a person to personal growth.

Subdue your emotions and make a plan

Before you solve problems, you need to pacify your emotions. Panic and anger do not allow us to soberly assess the situation and our actions; under the influence of feelings, we tend to act illogically. Almost everyone who has ever made a decision on emotions instantly, then more than once regretted it.

In order to successfully solve various problems in life, it is necessary to draw up a detailed plan of your actions. It is worth starting to compile it immediately after emotions have subsided and the ability to think sensibly and rationally has returned. Do not forget that the plan for overcoming the problem is just an outline, consisting of intended actions. It is necessary to tune in in advance that it will have to be corrected. Moreover, this can happen both before the start of its implementation, and during it.

Fight the fear of failure

Often the biggest obstacle in how to solve problems is fear. It paralyzes and makes it difficult to see clearly the picture of what is happening. We are usually most afraid of failure, we are afraid that the plan we have drawn up will turn out to be a complete failure or that additional unexpected difficulties will arise. How to solve the problem associated with your own fear?

First, try not to dwell on the thought that something will not work out. Drive away these thoughts as the most terrible enemy. There is only one way to overcome fear - by accepting it and doing what you are afraid of. Try to fantasize in the opposite direction. Imagine that you succeeded, feel in your imagination the taste of success and satisfaction from the fact that you have achieved your goal, and the problem is left behind.

To understand how to solve problems yourself, it would be useful in some situations to talk about what torments you to those you trust. Sometimes this alone can help, because as long as you state the whole essence of what is happening, highlighting the main thing and trying to convey it to the listener in an understandable language, everything will also clear up in your head, settle down in places. It is possible that after that you will suddenly have a decision.

If this does not happen, then a loved one whom you have dedicated to the essence of your problem, firstly, can help you emotionally, and secondly, can give you loving and sympathetic advice. It would be especially good if this person ever faced a similar problem in his life. Or maybe you can find someone who can provide practical assistance?,

Imagine your downfall

The great psychologist advises to get rid of the panic fear of failure to look her straight in the eye. In other words, you need to believe in success, but at the same time clearly realize that no one in this world is completely immune from anything. Why think about failure, isn't that discouraging?

Dale Carnegie explains this by saying that in a problematic situation, a fiasco for many means the end of life. They are terrified even for a moment to imagine that everything will end in the worst way for them, and they have no idea how they will live after that. According to the psychologist, having thought over in advance our actions in case everything does not go as we hope, we protect ourselves from panic fear of such a turn of events and will not be completely at a loss if everything happens this way.

Assess the problem globally

When you need to solve a problem, try to look at it from a different angle. For example, if you have nothing to put on shoes, look at your problem through the eyes of a legless cripple. And if you're upset about having a fight with your husband, look at your problem through the eyes of a recently widowed woman. If you are not satisfied with the quality of your life - go to the cemetery. Gloomy? Believe me, this will help to shift your problem from the central place in your life at least a little.

And you can try this way - look at the Earth, at yourself and at your problem from space. Can you imagine how small it will seem then? Imagination, it turns out, can be used for such useful purposes. Also, when a problem that has arisen puts too much pressure on us, you can try to imagine how we will remember it in a year or five years. Maybe then it will turn into a funny story from life, with which we will amuse our friends?

Do not forget about rest and do not "saw sawdust"

Psychologists, who know better than anyone how to solve problems with the least loss for themselves, advise not to forget that the body always needs rest. Experiencing stress, which absorbs the lion's share of the energy produced by the body, a person loses strength. To add their number will help a complete physical and emotional rest.

Especially weakening a person is constant regret about something that caused a problem or prevented him from successfully overcoming it. You should not “saw sawdust”, that is, return your thoughts to the past again and again in order to regret it properly. This is meaningless. If your current problem is about something that cannot be changed in any way, try to distract yourself from it and not scroll through it constantly in your head. You will no longer influence what happened, but what can happen to your health, your thoughts really influence.

Armed with the advice of experts, you can safely enter the battle with your problems. It would be foolish to expect some kind of miraculous end to this fight, but the fact that thanks to the right approach, problems will be solved much easier can be counted on without a doubt. Remember, everyone is capable of solving their own problems, and no one is assigned to do this dirty work for you.

A lot has been written about the classification of problems, about the methodology for solving them, various algorithms for "problem solving" are painted and painted, but nothing really changes. If there are problems, then there are ways to solve them.

A lot has been written about the classification of problems, about the methodology for solving them, various algorithms for "problem solving" are painted and painted, but nothing really changes. Since there are problems, then there are methods for solving them, well, it cannot be that humanity has not encountered problems since its inception. There were a lot of them and somehow they were solved. Now we have no problems with the fact that a saber-toothed tiger that wants to eat us does not allow us to leave the cave for food. Problems are being solved.

The first thing you need to know (and many people already know this, but I will just remind you) is that if a person himself does not want to solve his problem or problems, then they will not be solved. A person can only be helped to solve it. And this statement has been tried - tried, tested and rechecked, but the fact remains: if a person (or a group of people) does not want to solve a problem, then it will not be solved and no one will help solve it. There is, of course, an even more difficult case, when a person or a group of people are not at all aware that they have real problems and, accordingly, they will sit in them, and they (problems) will spoil their lives. Therefore, in order to be able to solve a problem or problems, it is first necessary to recognize them, to discover them.

And here is a method, call it an exercise or whatever, but it works:

• The first thing to do is take a piece of paper and a pen and write down a list of the problems you or your field of work have, whether you think it can be solved or not, just write it down. .
• Second: choose from the entire list the problem that you are most easily aware of, that is, the problem that seems to you or is perceived by you as the smallest. People often make the mistake of trying to do something about their biggest problem.
• Third: you have chosen such a problem (if you want, mark it somehow in the entire list or write down its wording below the entire list), and now write down (of course, you need to think about it) what you can do to solve this problem . So really, what can you do to solve this problem.
• And fourth: do it!!! That is, solve it, this little problem.

Let's run through this quickly:

1. You make a list of problems (for example, you have 5 of them):
   - a problem with the teeth, I have to go to the dentist, but I'm afraid;
   - Apartment without repair 15 years;
   - no one can take out the bin, the kitchen stinks;
   - there is no additional source of income, but I want even more money;
   - the son does not want to study and there is nothing we can do about it.
2. You see that the trash bin worries you the least of all (and you don’t need to include here “son of a fool, not only doesn’t want to study, he also doesn’t take out the trash, doesn’t understand that the trash needs to be taken out” - you now stink, not him - you have a problem). So write down this problem as the smallest one or mark it on your list.
3. Write down what you can do with it. You, not an idiot. And write "Take it out into the yard into a garbage container" (or a domestic garbage chute, or somewhere else where normal people throw garbage, and not to a neighbor under an apartment, as this will be another problem).
4. Easily, or with a creak, gritting your teeth, you take out this bucket of garbage and bring it home without garbage and possibly wash it (if something stinks there). And one less problem and then you don’t chase your son for it - it doesn’t exist.

And here is the math here: let's take and designate one problem as a unit, a unit of your nerves, attention, time, strength, mental activity, worries, energy and other things. In our example, there are 5 problems, that is, 5 units. Due to the fact that you have them, they do not add up to one another, but rather multiply, since all this is yours. And we get 5 (units) problems multiplied by 5 problems (units) and get 25 units of negative emotions, nerves, and so on, and the feeling that you have not 5 separate problems, but 25! And it all weighs on you and rather you have the feeling that everything is a problem and there is no way out of it.

And so you wanted to deal with the biggest one - where do you get the strength from, if you have, in essence, 25 problems that are pressing on you with all their might?

And then you took out the trash can and now you have 4 problems, and 4 times 4 will be 16, that is, 9 units of negativity or tension less. These are the 9 units that are now yours, and which you can now use to solve the next problem from the list and some other, more constructive or useful and pleasant things.

Then we look at the list further. And you find that the next problem that is easiest for you to look at is that you need to get your teeth in order and you write down what can be done about it and then go to the dentist (perhaps having quickly learned before that where the most humane in world dentist) and put your teeth in order. Now you have 3 problems, and 3 multiplied by 3 will be 9 units, that is, even less by 7 units. And so on down the list: find the easiest one from the list, write what you can do with it and now you have 2 problems or a total of 4 units (and the rest of the original 25 are released and give you more opportunities to do something and more courage to solve other problems, and the like). And then you are left with one problem, which most likely will not be a problem, but will be a task that needs to be completed.

There is one caveat here: as the number of problems decreases, you may want to abandon all the others. Don't do it right - solve them. Naturally, when the units “locked” in problems are released, a new outlook on life may appear and you will reschedule something in your life and something will simply cease to be your problem (for example, a hurricane in the USA will stop worrying you or you will find out that your son knows what he wants and he is interested in specialized education, and now the goal will appear - to find those people or institutions that will help your son develop his abilities and talents in the field of activity for which he has a craving).

Take these 4 steps, they help a lot and it is natural that it may take several minutes to take out the trash can, and it will most likely take more time to create and promote your business (or another one).

If problems start to stick, just do these 4 steps.

As for solving problems that do not concern you personally, but, for example, the team (staff, countries, and so on), here, on the contrary, you need to eliminate the biggest blockages by everyone together, but this is a separate issue.

You will succeed!

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Every day, each of us is faced with all sorts of tasks, difficulties and problems, the solution of which requires a huge amount of mental, energy, time and sometimes financial costs. Most of the problems need to be resolved urgently and extremely.

Each individual problem can be characterized by its own level of complexity and significance. Thus, it is quite possible to solve simple problems without special knowledge and skills, while more complex ones can be dealt with only if specific information is available.

But, be that as it may, there are some fundamental principles, guided by which a person can cope with any difficulties that are encountered on his life path, and it does not matter at all what sphere of life they concern: business, work or interaction with other people. In addition, these principles will help not only solve problems, but also do it with minimal time and effort.

And in this article, we want to introduce you to just such principles.

Principle One: Understand the Problem

First of all, the incoming problem must be understood, i.e. you need to clearly define for yourself what its essence is, and what you are dealing with in general. You have to come to understand that, by and large, the problem is just a difficult situation or some unpleasant circumstance, and with this, as they say, something needs to be done.

Think about what caused the current situation, which of your actions turned out to be ineffective or erroneous. It is important to find out the cause, which will help to avoid a recurrence of the problem in the future. Next, try to think ahead, and clearly define what the consequences of the problem may be. And only after you have an objective vision of the situation, you will have the opportunity to resolve the situation.

Principle Two: You Can't Solve All Problems at Once

It often happens that problems pile up in a crowd: several problems may pile up at one moment, or it may be that problems simply accumulate. Always remember that, firstly, problems must be solved as they come up, and, secondly, they must not be allowed to accumulate, otherwise it can aggravate the situation and create a serious emergency.

If this could not be avoided, then the syndrome should not be allowed to appear, and start trying to solve all the accumulated problems overnight. Solve your problems in turn: first, write them all down on one sheet of paper, then prioritize, evaluating the importance of the urgency of solving a particular problem. After that, you will have a ready-made plan for overcoming difficulties. And without fail, solve problems one at a time, focusing on a specific goal.

Principle three: act according to plan

The basis of successful activity is almost always a plan of action. And problem solving is what success is all about.

Once you have a list of your problems, and you know what needs to be addressed first, second, etc., break down the solution to each problem into several steps. Try "cutting the elephant to pieces" by dividing the problem-solving process into separate steps.

Let getting rid of an unpleasant situation become an exciting game for you, for which you have step-by-step instructions. Stick to it and be sure that there is only one winner in this game and that is you.

Principle Four: Get Rid of Fear

Very often, fear gets in the way of solving problems. It even happens that a person is even afraid to write his problems on a sheet, so as not to face the real state of affairs. But, as you know, the only way is to meet him halfway.

Stop being afraid and thinking that something terrible is happening. Calm down and tune in to a positive perception. Start presenting the problem in a different way - so that it becomes for you not a reason for despair, but an incentive for development. And don't forget that what separates successful people from unsuccessful ones is their mindset. Challenges are an opportunity for them to become stronger. Allow yourself to become a successful person.

Principle 5: Leverage other people's experience

Believe me, you are not the only person in the world who has problems. And many people have problems that you never dreamed of. But this does not detract from the importance of your problems, because. These are YOUR problems, not "someone out there."

However, you can use the experience of other people in solving your problems. How to recognize him? Yes, very simple. You can ask some of your friends, relatives or acquaintances if they have experienced your situation. You can ask your questions on the Internet and stumble upon useful websites, articles or forums. You can even find a movie in which a person solves problems and try to put into practice the methods from the movie.

As you can see, there are opportunities, and they are all around you. Your task is to see these opportunities.

Principle Six: Stay Calm

Decisions that are made based on emotions can often lead to negative outcomes. Realize that in problem solving, impulsiveness is not the answer. This does not mean that you need to press your fist to your head and become a philosopher of your life, but you need to approach the resolution of your difficulties with the mind, which means that, first of all, you need to remain calm.

This also includes the fact that because of the problems you do not need to be very upset, sad and grieve. Problems are part of life, and, like joys, they tend to pass, they are simply perceived by us painfully. So treat trouble as a new turn in your path, and remember that a black stripe will definitely be followed by a white one.

Principle seven: do not neglect support and help

Sometimes people, faced with problems, try to solve everything only on their own, because. either they don’t want to let someone into their affairs, or they are afraid to appear before someone in an unfavorable light, or for some other reason. However, there are such problems that can only be dealt with together, because relatives or friends can help with advice, complete some assignments, use their connections, etc.

For this reason, you should not neglect the support of others, and your reputation can be pushed into the background for a while. Of course, one should not be humiliated, but it is possible and necessary to turn to someone for help if necessary.

Principle Eight: Don't Build Up Problems

Faced with problems and considering ways to solve them, you need to try to calculate all possible perspectives. The fact is that rash actions or "blurred" ways to solve a problem situation can be potentially dangerous. In other words, they can give rise to other problems, which should never be allowed.

Always think not in the future, calculate the options several times and consider each step you take. It is here that the folk truth is most suitable: "Measure seven times, cut once."

Principle nine: act

Actions are the basis of any result. If you don't act, nothing will happen. Based on this, you must understand that if you just sit, do nothing and wait for the problems to resolve themselves, at best you will remain in the same situation, and at worst, the problems will worsen, cause other problems and fuss.

Planning alone is also not an option, because, in fact, it is a theory. Once a plan is made, you need to move into action and start attacking your problems. And the more decisive your actions are, the weaker the opposition of troubles will be.

Tenth Principle: Believe in yourself

And the last thing I would like to say is that you always, everywhere and in any situation, no matter how difficult it may seem, must keep faith in yourself and your strengths. You must be above circumstances, even if they do not depend on you. You must perceive yourself as the master of your life. You should not just believe, but know that after solving problems, a new turn awaits you on the way to a brighter future and a life with fewer problems.

And one more thing: stop calling problems problems, because only this is a person in such a way that he begins to perceive what is happening in gloomy tones. Let problems become just situations or circumstances that require a little more attention from you.

HOW YOU DEAL WITH CHALLENGES: Are you able to solve your problems effectively? How stress resistant are you? How do difficult situations affect you in general? To answer these questions, as well as to understand which qualities help you cope with difficulties and which hinder you, we suggest that you take our self-knowledge course, from which you will learn enough about yourself to start working on yourself and learn to perceive everything that happens. with your head held high. Go on and start to know yourself

We wish you success and perseverance!

When the problem, like a tsunami, covers with a head. It may seem that this situation is isolated and standard solutions are not suitable. This is partly true: other people's advice, which colleagues, relatives or friends generously scatter, is often too generalized, and therefore not suitable for any particular case. We invite you to look at problem solving differently: in our article, you will learn five steps by which you can deal with any problem. We will also talk about four basic principles that you can apply to solve any problem situation.

Step 1: State Your Problem Clearly

A clear formulation of the urgent problem is already half the success. Most people who say they have problems will never be able to answer exactly what they are. For example, “I have problems in a relationship” is too abstract a wording by which it is impossible to determine what exactly does not suit you in a relationship. Try to specify the problem so that it is easier for you to choose a method for solving it. Otherwise, you will have to try many ways before you find the right one. You may need to focus: for you, we have found a simple way that will help you understand yourself and understand from which side you need to approach solving problems.

Step 2: Analyze Your Problem

You can solve a problem faster and easier if you know for sure what caused it. It is most effective to act on the root of the problem: if you are struggling with the consequences, and not with the cause, the result is unlikely to please you. In this case, you can draw an analogy with the disease: you will not be able to recover (or the recovery process will be delayed) if you treat the symptoms - for example, you take pills for a toothache instead of making an appointment with the dentist. It is clear that this approach will not only not save you from the problem, but will exacerbate it. Analysis of the situation will help you both in the present and in the future: if you understand why a problematic situation has arisen, you can avoid it in the future.

Step 3: Know what you are you can do to solve the problem

If you want to solve a problem, you first need to decide on your own capabilities. It is advisable to fix them on paper and make a list: even the most limitless possibilities can seem insignificant and small if you do not notice them. Take the trouble to make a list of what you can do to solve the problem, and then put it in a prominent place: this will help you fully concentrate on the main thing, not paying attention to small things.

This approach will help you rediscover all the possibilities that you have long forgotten about. For example, if your child is having a masquerade but you can't afford to buy an expensive costume, remember your talents, old hobbies and hobbies. Perhaps, as a child, you were fond of sewing, appliqués, inventing various outfits, or just loved to draw? If so, then feel free to get down to business: of course, it is likely that you forgot some details, but your hands probably remember the main thing. If you haven’t found such talents in yourself, don’t despair: you can use your communication skills and involve a friend, sister or neighbor in creating a fancy dress: in return, you can offer your help in what you can.

Step 4: Determine what you are you can not do to solve the problem

This seemingly useless point is still worth doing: in order to understand what you really should not worry about. We are not in control of everything, however.
very often people still worry about what they cannot influence - such torment is not only useless, but even harmful. You hardly need to worry about your flight being delayed because of a malfunction in the plane's engine: you're not an aircraft mechanic, are you? If you worry often, read our article: the tips from it will definitely help you stop worrying about every occasion. Decide on what you can’t influence in any way, at least for your own peace of mind. Think about who, besides you, can influence the problem, but without fanaticism: if you have financial problems, you should not rely on the existence of a rich millionaire uncle who is eager to leave you a huge inheritance.

Step 5: Make a plan of action, choose a method and solve the problem

Most problems need to be addressed in a clear sequence, so you will probably need to draw up a precise plan of action. In addition, it is worth accustoming yourself to perceive the problem not as an insurmountable difficulty, but as a task that needs to be solved: in this way, you will make your work a little easier, since psychologically the “task” is perceived less painfully than the “problem”.

At first glance, there can be a great many ways to solve any problem, but there are only four main ones. So you can:

1. Change your actions. For example, let's take the case of a fancy dress: the holiday is scheduled in a week, but you do not have money for a costume and will not appear in the near future. If your usual action is to borrow money again, you should change tactics a little. For example, you can, as already mentioned, try to make a costume yourself or ask other people for help. As a result, you get a costume one way or another, the child goes to a masquerade, the problem is solved.

2. Avoid the situation. In the case of a costume, this approach can be expressed as follows: you declare that you have no money for a costume, so the child will not participate in the masquerade. Since you no longer need to allocate money for a costume, the problem is solved for you, but for the child - hardly. This is the most radical method, and it is not suitable for all situations.

3. Change the situation. This is a more flexible solution to the problem than the previous one. Considering the same party costume case, you can invite your child to visit a free art show or have a family picnic over the weekend instead of a costume party. The problem will be solved if you are as flexible as possible and can find the right solution that suits everyone (if your problem concerns someone else besides you). If you are limited in time, our tips will help you quickly find the right solution.

4. Take a different approach to the situation. Compromise option. In this case, it is proposed to change your vision of the current situation: in fact, you solve the problem within yourself, without influencing what is happening. In the case of a masquerade and a costume, you can put up with the fact that you will have to spend a certain amount to purchase an outfit, get the right amount of money and never think about this problem again. This solution will probably seem strange and even inefficient to many, but it is great for cases where you really cannot change the situation, or the problem lies precisely in your thoughts, which need to be put in order.