We?ve all had days like this: everything that can possibly go wrong, has gone wrong. And then some. The new, big and important customer has been amazing to work with, adding project after project after project and is keeping everyone busy and happy. But?they expect all of the additional work to be done within the original budget. And then that newish monitor (only 1.5 years old) just up and dies on you. Do you repair it or replace it, repair it or replace it? Or just make due with the smaller but still decent monitor that wasn?t being use anyway. And then there?s the computer that seems be possessed. Some days it?s fine and other days, well, it seems that it rather not be working and continues to freeze. 3, 4, 5 times a day. Add to that the normal stresses of life, family, pets, friends, finances, and on and on and on. It?s enough to send you over the edge, down the river, to the ocean and onto a small raft that will take you out to sea and away from everything and everyone.

It really is amazing how much we can take and still keep going. I believe that we are given only as much as we can handle and just when you think you?ve reached your breaking point, you find just a little bit of strength left (it?s usually hiding in your pinky toe) that pulls you through. The trick is taking that last bit of strength and using it to your advantage. While freaking out and running around like a mad-woman with her head cut off does provide amusement for the office staff, it really doesn?t do much to help you or improve the situation. Instead, I suggest trying one (or all) of these 5 tips.

1. Find a solution. It?s so easy to get wrapped up in what is going wrong that you lose site of what the problem is. Instead of focusing on the problem, placing blame or pushing the issue under the rug, focus on finding a solution.
2. Make a list! If you are overwhelmed by all of the work that needs to be done, all of the places the kids need to be, or all of the chores that need to be done at home or in the garden, start out by SITTING DOWN, writing a list and prioritizing. You?ll probably find out that you can handle everything that you have going on. Chances are everything will look less intimating on paper.
3. Enlist the help of others. And listen to their advice! It?s easy to miss the solution to a problem because you are too close to see it. Take a deep breath, step back, ask for help, make a decision and move forward.
4. Talk, talk talk. There?s nothing wrong with over communicating, it helps not only you, but anyone else you are working with if everything has a complete understanding of what is going on and what is expected. And if questions, concerns or issues come up later (such as, who ate the last piece of chocolate?), ask! You?ll only add more stress to your life if you don?t know the answers.
5. Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. Need I say more?

One final note, everyone has stress to deal with. Be kind to those around you, they could be dealing with something just as bad. Or worse. Showing just a little bit of kindness and sympathy will make their day, and yours, that much brighter.

If you are looking for a team that has the creativity to tackle the task at hand (even under pressure) we?re the team for you. Visit our web site to learn more about what we do, and how we can help you.

?I can?t draw to save my life.?

?I don?t know how to program a website.?

?My email just isn?t working.?

These statements annoy me. Even though I can often be found saying things like this, they still annoy me. Why? Because even though they may be true (maybe you aren?t a very good artist at this moment) they somehow imply the person is INCAPABLE of improving or finding the answer. This. Is. NOT. True.

Every person is born into this world not knowing how to do anything, but as humans, we have an amazing capacity for knowledge and learning. ?Can?t draw? actually means you don?t know how to draw YET, but if you took a class or practiced a little, your meager skills would inevitably improve. Yes, there will always be the savants who seemingly know how to play piano at age 3 without any formal training. Good for them. However, for the average person, practice makes improvement.

Want to learn how to draw? Take a class, buy a book, even borrow a book from the library and start from the beginning. Learning to draw (or dance or program or sing or play guitar or cook or run a half-marathon or ANYTHING) is a process. At the beginning, you don?t know much if anything, but after a while of doing, you learn. That first step is always the hardest, but you?ll never improve unless you take that step.

If, however, you don?t want to improve, you probably won?t. I thought I wanted to run, but didn?t like it so I stopped. No improvement. A friend didn?t stop running and she?s entering her first half-marathon next month. Go Ashley!

At Moxie, it is a competition to find the answer to any question asked in the office. Seriously, we have almost a compulsive need to learn. If you present us with a problem, we will stretch ourselves to the limit to find the answer, the BEST answer, for YOU!

www.thinkmoxie.com

? Post written by Cristy Wiza.