4 Small Steps to Put You on the Path to a More Productive and Positive Space  

Today’s world seems to have received a heaping portion of the curse, “May you live in interesting times.” You may find that you are constantly worrying about what comes next or that you are feeling the effects of too much news, too much work, and not enough balance in your life. You might have difficulty focusing on work, home, and children, and you may feel overwhelmed and paralyzed to do anything about it. Are you nodding your head yet?

But paralysis isn’t an option; you just need to put one foot in front of the other as you take four small steps to control the chaos in your life and get to a more productive and positive space.

Step One:  Don’t Play the Victim
We all know that life is not fair, but we cannot always be a victim to our situation. Maybe you feel like you are carrying not only the weight of an important career on your shoulders, but also more than your share of the responsibilities at home. Perhaps you consistently work harder than those around you and produce better results than most, but you continue to feel stuck or overlooked at your job by your boss and/or peers. If that’s the case, it’s time to pause and take a look at what is going on around you. Once you realize that you can have a say in your life, you will be able to find a clear path to a better situation. You’ll be able to start making sense of the chaos around you, and identify where you can take action to control at least some of it. Maybe you cannot do it all, but by accepting that, pulling it apart, and prioritizing, you can make it much more manageable.  

Step Two:  Take Action
You know the old saying, “Action begets action”? I’m a firm believer in taking action. Smart, thoughtful action, based on data. Give yourself one minute to stop, relax, and take a deep breath. Gather your thoughts. Get your facts straight and ensure they’re free from bias. Get your team involved. Ask them to weigh in to help you determine what can be done to make the situation less crazy. Think about what you need to get done, and prioritize it.

Don’t just apply this thinking at work; use it at home, too. Remember, you don’t have to do everything yourself. Engage your family, make a list of what needs to get done each week, ask for help, assign tasks, and communicate, communicate, communicate.

Even a small step forward means you are making a change for the better. You might not always know if the step you are taking is the right one, but you have to take it to figure out what’s next. Action begets action. And it teaches your team and your family that together, you can accomplish almost anything.

Step Three:  Set Your Pride Aside
What are you willing to do to get something done? There was a period in my career when my company faced a significant company-wide crisis. Everyone was concerned about job security and what their future career path would look like. I looked around and realized that management was attempting to define their path forward. I decided to proactively set up time with my senior leadership and was very clear with my main message, “I will do any job, anywhere you need me.” I left my pride at the door and put my heart out there for the company. Because I was willing to initiate and have those hard conversations, I was given a role that has led me to where I am today.

Step Four:  Find Your Tribe
We tell our children, “Show me your friend, and I’ll show you your future.” We want our kids to be around others who are smart, have a good worth ethic, and are humble and kind. We should want and demand the same for ourselves. Surround yourself with amazing people who inspire you and bring out the best in you. That way, when you’re stressed out and the going gets tough, you’ll know without a shadow of a doubt that you can count on your team. They can pinch hit for you and one another to save the day. They can also make you a better leader by challenging you and driving you to make better decisions. 

The world will always be a crazy place. Things will go awry; we can’t change that. But what we can change is our frame of mind, and our reaction to the chaos. You can’t fix it all, but by following these four steps, you can fix your piece of it.