4 minute read
wellbeing
6 tips for dealing with
We all experience times in life when things don’t go to plan. There may be one area which causes serious hurt and disappointment or perhaps even a sequence of setbacks in several areas of our life where we lose our support network, become overwhelmed or feel under-resourced about what to do to improve the situation. There are a few things we can do to help with dealing with these rough patches: Acknowledge that rarely does everything ‘urgent’ have to be dealt with at once. We can get into the habit of being reactive and feeling that everything has to be done immediately it’s asked of us or else negative ramifications will follow. However, it can be useful to take a step back and identify the key, most pressing items that need immediate attention. Then perhaps something as simple as a phone call may be enough to ease the load, may placate the other party for the time being by reassuring them that you’re aware of the situation and are dealing with it promptly. Can someone else be brought in to help with certain aspects of the issue? Other people are often happy to be included and may contribute a new and different perspective. It can be lonely dealing with a rough patch or stressful situation on one’s own. Inviting others to become involved may help you feel
rough patches
supported, less alone and better able to manage the stress. Take care of yourself. A rough patch can threaten your self-esteem, may cause you to feel inadequate, suspect that you can’t cope - are perhaps a failure in some way. Take care to protect your self-esteem and associate with supportive people, family, friends or colleagues who believe in you. Share your concerns with those closest to you and allow them to reassure you that you are skilled, talented, capable, likable and that this rough patch will pass. Be vigilant about eating regularly and healthily. Take breaks and detach yourself from being immersed constantly in the demands and stresses of the situation. Breaks allow you to return to work with a clearer mind and maybe even with a better perspective and some useful ideas. Allow time for gentle exercise like walking, going for a swim or a yoga class. Look after yourself by avoiding artificial stimulants to keep you going like an excess of caffeine, alcohol, sugar or junk food. By looking after yourself you’ll hopefully maintain better quality sleep throughout this time.
MARTIN HAMBLETON I COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Try to introduce a time limit to your working day so that you commit to regularly both mentally and physically switching off after that time. It’s important to allow a couple of hours for relaxation, especially during difficult periods in your life. Turn off your technology, close the office door and try to wind down. Have a shower to wash away the day’s strains and stresses. Make time for hobbies, interests and activities that you do well, that reinforce the belief that you’re talented and successful in many areas of your life. These are ways to maintain some semblance of calm and help you to cope in a more balanced way. Avoid replaying a negative mindset over and over again. When we’re used to success or have invested a lot of ourselves in a particular outcome it can be a bitter blow to our selfesteem if things don’t go to plan. If that situation in compounded by further setbacks it can be difficult to see beyond the disappointments. Resist the temptation to beat yourself up and replay the negative story repeatedly. It can become a destructive habit, eroding hope, energy and enthusiasm for future ventures and opportunities. Rough patches can teach us a great deal. Yes, it feels good when things go well, but those times often occur within our comfort zone. The difficult experiences in life, the failures and disappointments are often the times which we reflect on in later years as having been our important learning opportunities. In order to come through rough patches we may need to learn new skills, tailor our expectations or prepare more thoroughly so that we improve our future chances of success. There may be a requirement to enhance our knowledge and learn better ways of doing things. We may need external help by way of training in order to learn new skills and better strategies, or a business coach may help us to focus on a more effective plan, or even a counsellor or hypnotherapist may provide valuable personal healing and development opportunities. Value the space that a setback or rough patch provides to develop a more positive, structured, focused way of moving forward in your life. When you’re going through a rough patch it’s important to be especially sensitive to yourself. Have regular distractions, mini-breaks and times for fun, pampering, interesting conversation and even some therapy. Support yourself throughout times of negativity and disappointment so that you can move forward from them in the best way possible.
Susan Leigh MNCH (ACC) Susan runs Altrincham based Lifestyle Therapy offering a tailor made combination of counselling and hypnotherapy on a one-to-one or group basis. She works with stressed individuals to promote confidence and self belief, with couples experiencing relationship difficulties to improve communications and understanding and with business clients to support the health and motivation levels of individuals and teams.
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