Wait, how’d that happen?
It happens to the best of us: we’re on a great roll at work, we show up each day and knock all of our tasks out like it’s simply second nature. But, all great things eventually come to an end, and we hit a bit of a workplace wall.
This can happen when we lose momentum, but a project or task can pop up that may leave us feeling lost for a period of time. And, if we’re established in our position, it may feel awkward or inappropriate to say, “So…what do you want me to do?”
You can do it!
As a result, we have to suck it up and figure it out. But, when high-pressure tasks come through, sucking it up and figuring it out can be daunting.
So, what can help us navigate back to the proactive and productive selves we all can be? Well, there are a few available methods to help get you back on track.
1. Take small steps.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it is easy to quickly feel burdened by pressure. If you have a huge project with a ton of paperwork to get through, there’s a chance it can feel like you’re buried underneath that pile.
This happens to everyone at some point. It’s best to just take a breath and begin attacking the beast in small steps.
Start where you feel confident about the project and go from there. Taking it one piece at a time can make the task feel like a more positive puzzle (yes, I am aware of how cliche I’m sounding.)
2. Do your research.
Make sure you’re examining your work from all angles. This requires using any and every tool you have at your disposal.
When you’re feeling lost and overwhelmed, an illusion of “there’s no way out” can be created. But if you just think about how you’ve taken on any other project, consider what tools were used and how you decided to use them.
3. Success and failure are related.
While some may consider them dichotomous, success and failure are actually quite involved with each other. Most of our successes and accomplishments started from a jumping off point of trial and error, and the dreaded failure.
Recently, I was speaking with someone about what I want for my professional future. He encouraged me to go for my goals, but cautioned that I’ll likely fail a few times first.
What’s important to remember is that there is no shame in this. Failures feel dramatic while they’re happening, but they can turn into something really awesome.
4. At least try.
Know that it is always better to try and fail than to simply throw in the towel. Do all you can on your end to succeed at whatever curve work is throwing you.
If you’ve exercised all of your own options and are still confused, seek outside help. Asking someone for a hand is not a sign of failure. It’s likely they’ve been in your shoes at some point and would be glad to help.
