8 ways to be more effective at overcoming challenges.

At one point almost 50 million Americans had their livelihood disrupted by our recent health crisis.

That number is estimated to be well over one billion worldwide.

Recent surveys have revealed a major increase in mental health related problems with almost 30% of unemployed workers claiming their mental state was compromised. That number was 5% before the pandemic.

There’s a huge correlation between socioeconomic status and depression.

There’s also a relationship between working from home and feelings of diminished work satisfaction.

Long considered a tremendous benefit, being required to work from home wasn't ideal for everyone.

At Weatherology we have offered people the option of working from home for decades. Most people at our company enjoy the freedom and flexibility.

However, over the past two years, recent research from the Martech Group showed a big drop in job satisfaction, job motivation, and company satisfaction with many people working from home.

The stress of working from home was especially tough for parents with young children.

This unanticipated time in history has reminded many people how important it is to stay strong during challenging times, it that can be difficult.

So, what can we do to be better about overcoming unexpected challenges.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” —Aristotle

8 ways to be more effective at overcoming challenges:

Attitude adjustment

Attitude is something we control. When people see limitations, they get easily discourage. When we see possibilities, optimism increases. Plenty of studies have been conducted demonstrating the importance of staying positive in the face of adversity. It gives us the clarity to see solutions, and it doesn’t require dancing on rainbows. It just demands staying calm and refusing to let the situation impact our ability to think rationally and optimistically.

Resist panicking

When life delivers a debilitating blow it's easy to panic. Take a step back and allocate time to reflect. Getting fired or getting laid off always feels horrible. However, it may be the ideal opportunity to move in a direction consistent with your true purpose. Allow yourself to feel the disappointed but devote our energy to taking steps to improve the situation.

Regain control

What happens when your business plan doesn’t pan out? You don’t land that big account? You don’t get the raise you thought you deserved? Stay in control. Once we evaluate the situation, we often determine there’s better alternatives. Taking personal responsibility improves the situation because we gain control and stay focused on problem solving.

Break it down

Every obstacle always seems insurmountable, especially when our financial stability is at stake. When we hit a massive set back, break down the hurdle into smaller pieces. Losing a job is a major blow. Now it’s time to get deliberate about taking steps to rectify the situation. Reach out to some well-respected friends in your network and start a conversation about creating new opportunities.  

“Take one step in the direction of your dreams and watch the Universe perform miracles to help you.” —Alexandra Domelle

Commitment

Now is a great time to establish new goals and devise a plan for forging ahead. This requires commitment and focus.  When energy is diminished, feeling overwhelmed impairs our imagination. To keep creativity flowing, stay committed to our objectives. Make the challenge our top priority until we make improvements.  

Firm foundation

Bouncing back from setbacks can be incredibly challenging, especially if our foundation is weak. It’s much easier to recover when we have a firm foundation to begin with. Better "quality" sleep, exercise, eating right, meditation and mental agility. We can chase every "bug" with treatment or build a stronger immune system. Being strong to begin with makes overcoming challenges much easier.

Mitigate risk

I see a litany of well-intended individuals talking about taking risks and the importance of failure. I prefer calculated risks and avoiding the need to fail repeatedly. Most mistakes aren't unique, and they are preventable. When we make good decisions to begin with, we eliminate challenges that are easily avoidable. I don’t believe life has to be a series of constant failures. Avoid short cuts, be realistic about opportunities and resist fads promising instant gratification. Learn to think for ourselves and take the time to educate ourselves on difficult choices. That’s a good start.  

Maintain motivation

Motivation occurs once we start doing something then find satisfaction in the journey. Many people give up when the journey becomes rough. It always does so we need to learn to push ahead and maintain motivation. Learning to embrace the discomfort of making big dreams a reality is imperative for success. 

“Some people see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.” —Bobby Kennedy

Sum it up

Any suggestions for overcoming challenges? Share your thoughts in the comments section and please like and share this article. I love learning from you as well.

About Steve:

Steve Wohlenhaus is CEO of Weatherology, the leading company in the world at disseminating audio weather information.  Steve began his career as a major market television weather anchor in Minneapolis, where he received several Emmy Awards for science programming. Steve is an author and host of the podcast program Anatomy of Success. Reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn. Learn more about my work and grab the free Weatherology mobile app by clicking any picture in this article!