From the course: Time Management Tips

How to shake off negative experiences

From the course: Time Management Tips

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How to shake off negative experiences

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- Think back to the last time something really made you upset. Perhaps someone said something rude to you, or you saw something on social media that bothered you, or maybe you just made a mistake that you regretted. When you have an experience like this, how do you move passed it and become more productive again? It's a critical question to answer. I've seen story after story of how entire workforces slow their productivity because they're upset about the outcome of some political event or something in their company. As productive leaders, we need to learn how to move passed it. Now just a note, I'm not talking about clinical depression. If you're having emotional challenges that are ongoing, then I recommend that you seek the help of a professional. In this case, I'm talking about the normal life events that naturally cause us to feel upset, and less motivated at work. First, recognize what you can and cannot control. You can control how long you let that problem bother you. You can control what actions you're going to take next. You can control, to a degree, how your team performs. You cannot control the environment. You cannot control what other people say. To a large degree, you cannot control political outcomes, or even what your company does if you're working in a large corporation. A lot of people's negative emotions result from the frustration of trying to change things that they cannot control. So shift your focus to what you can change and then ask yourself, what actions can I take to make a difference? Gather those actions into an approved gathering point, and make a plan to address them during your processing time. Also if necessary, find a sort of reset button for your mind. This could involve taking a break and going for a walk, doing a little exercise, or watching a funny video. Whatever it takes, find something that hits the rest button in your mind and says, I'm going to stop thinking about this. I'm a geek and I love nerdy stuff, so I when I feel those negative emotions pounding at my door, one thing that works for me is thinking of Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings standing at the chasm shouting, you shall not pass. It's a funny image but it helps. Now last comment, what if it's about something you did? What if you caused a failure through your own choices or lack of ability? Try to turn that failure into a learning experience. Ask yourself what did I gain from this failure? What lesson can I take into my life? I have certainly failed many times, and I have made choices that I deeply regret. The only way that I've moved passed them is to count them as part of my education as a human being. Then, I make a commitment to never repeat that lesson again. Remember, failure is only failure if we fail to learn from it.

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