Managing Change – Getting "Back on Track"
April 23, 2009 in Productivity
In the previous post I linked to an article by Kelly Forrister about being at your best in a tough situation. Here I would like to suggest three things that you can do to get back up to speed when an unexpected change comes your way:
1. Take Stock of the Situation
Stop and take a look at your last Weekly Review notes, to get caught up on where you stood the last time you gave your Actions and Projects a review. This will freshen your mind and perhaps trigger your thoughts for the coming week.
2. Review Your Hard Landscape
Review your calendar, Waiting For, and Next Actions lists, making sure that anything you might have had planned gets re-scheduled if you missed it. Some time-specific events or notes may no longer be valid, and perhaps a deadline was missed and the Next Action is no longer appropriate. On the other hand, a Next Action or Waiting For that was not pressing may now need to be moved up on your list of priorities – becoming a Most Important Task for today.
3. Plan Ahead for the Next Weekly Review
Anytime your schedule gets thrown off, by illness or an emergency situation, it is important to plan for your next review of Next Actions and Projects. Make an appointment with yourself to get back into your routine. I would recommend blocking out some extra time for this next Weekly Review in order to do some extra brainstorming and/or creative thinking about where you are and where you want to be. This kind of activity can give you a jump-start into the following week, providing inspiration for future goals rather than prolonging the feeling of “playing catch-up”.
Bonus Tip: Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Letting things go for a while due to unforeseen circumstances can create feelings of frustration and anxiety. Remember that (in most cases) you can ask someone for assistance. You have friends, associates, family, and co-workers that you can likely go to for some assistance in completing tasks that need to get done. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of perspective.
Asking for assistance can be one of the greatest gifts that you can give yourself.
