Finding Our Way Forward
April 27, 2020
Last week, Governor Walz announced Executive Order 20-40 outlining steps for the MN workforce to begin moving forward today – including manufacturing and office space. This news took me by surprise. While I’ve spent weeks dreaming of the day that we would be released back to our “old life”, the reality of returning felt overwhelming. We are not returning to the life that was. We are returning to something new. Things have changed. Preparedness Plans, Health Checks, and COVID policies, are now the way forward.
When experiencing transition, even the positive steps forward can paralyze us at times. I was in that place last Friday. So, what can we do when we’re stuck? Here are a few tips that we utilize to move ahead and continue finding our way forward:
- Make space to process and reflect. Taking time to reflect, provided me with the mental space to identify specifically why I felt overwhelmed. Identifying the driving forces to my overwhelmedness allowed me to break it down in a way that I could determine action steps addressing each of the specific areas feeding the paralysis.
- Write it down. As I identified the drivings forces behind my overwhelmed feelings, I wrote them down. The act of moving the circulating thoughts from my brain to paper, creates the first actionable step to move the brain forward.
- Brainstorm possible solutions. Once I identified and broke down the areas driving what overwhelmed me, I could evaluate possible solutions one area at a time. Starting with one identified area, I brainstormed and listed all possible action steps and solutions that came to mind. I allowed myself space and grace, and gave my mind a break and did not brainstorm all areas at once.
- Prioritize and plan. Once I had a list, I could prioritize and plan. Reviewing the brainstorm list, what steps do I need to take in order to continue doing business in COVID times? What steps are critical for the safety of my clients? These are my most critical steps, and move to the top of the action plan. I re-ordered the brainstorm list from most important to least, setting target dates to focus my direction forward.
- Call in reinforcements. Sometimes the steps on the list are outside my scope, my skill set, or my available time – and so reinforcements are needed. Every one of us has our areas of strength and our areas of weakness. We’re all only human. I’m thankful for those who fill in my gaps.
We are all navigating challenging times. I have been encouraged by all the goodness, innovation, and resilience expressed around us daily. I have great hope for the days ahead, and also know that our days post-COVID will look different than our days pre-COVID. If you are struggling or feeling overwhelmed – we are here. As with any transition, we’re in this with you. Contact us if we can help.