10 Easy Ways to Manage Change

Daily tactics to improve your health and happiness during times of uncertainty

Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash

1. Create your circle of influence

“Proactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about” — Stephen Covey

You can’t control everything. Attempting to do so will only cause you more misery. In times of rapid change, write down your circle of influence.

This can include people, practices or aspects of your work.

Ask yourself: What are the things that you can uniquely control and influence directly by your actions?

Give your attention only to only the list. Everything else can become secondary.

2. Create a routine

Discipline creates freedom. And structure makes discipline easier.

Every problem becomes 80% easier after 8 hours of sleep, exercise and 10 minutes of meditation.

While these things are important normally, during times of change they can be lifesavers. They can be the difference between being able to cope with change or not. The difference between keeping your sanity and not.

The hardest part of change is unpredictability and uncontrollability. A routine can help to make your situation feel more predictable and controllable.

When you’re struggling to make it through the day, your routine can be the thing that keeps you mentally moving.

3. Dive into your hobbies and habits

Your hobbies and habits are all you really have.

All the results you enjoy today are a lagging measure of what you do on a daily basis.

What do you love doing? What activities do you do that makes time irrelevant? What makes you forget about everything else in the world?

Your hobbies can be a warm comfort during the sometimes cold feelings of change. Doing them can provide a sense of safety, control and purpose.

Is it exercise? Reading? Beading? Playing board games?

Dive headfirst into them.

4. Time with friends, family, and pets

While change can feel isolating, remember that: you are not alone.

You have friends, family, and pets that love you. Sometimes more than you love yourself.

Spend time with those who make you remember who you are. Who can make you laugh? Who can uplift you when you are feeling down? Who can remind you that you are strong and will get through this period?

Make time for meaningful relationships in your life.

5. Schedule time for fun

“Bitterness is quite cumbersome. Jokes are a way of shaking that off, or processing something with the alchemy of levity.” — Dave Chappelle

Laughter is the antidote to uncertainty.

Finding the ability to be playful and see the fun in any situation is a superpower. Laughing at yourself is sometimes the best medicine.

During times of change, pessimism is easy but unfulfilling. Optimism is difficult but rewarding.

No matter how hard things might get, you still have a choice on how you decide to interpret your situation. There is a silver lining in every situation. You just have to be able to find it.

6. Connection with nature

Change can feel more overwhelming when you lack perspective.

How do I know this? Because I lose perspective all the time.

There is nothing like staring out into the vast ocean or looking up into the night sky to remind you how small you are. You are a collection of organic matter, on a rock, floating in a galaxy through infinite space.

If that doesn’t give you pause to reflect and provide perspective on your problems, I don’t know what will.

7. Understand time will go on

The best piece of advice I received when I started working full-time was that: time will pass.

“Nothing lasts forever. Not even your troubles”― Arnold H. Glasow

No matter how hard it might seem in the moment remember that time will move on. People will move on. These circumstances are transient. That stressful project will be completed.

Ask yourself: will what you’re going through matter in 5 years? Probably not.

Life is short.

8. Be gentle with yourself

Feel like spending the whole day in bed watching Netflix or pampering yourself with a massage and spa?

Do it.

There is no need for judgment in this situation. Listen to your body and do what feels right for you.

Give yourself the ability to have a ‘should-less’ day, where there are no expectations to be productive, obligations to see anyone or need to meet any work deadlines.

9. Connect with your breath

We take roughly 25,000 breaths a day. Most of them unconsciously. Short and shallow breathing can be a sign you’re stressed or have anxiety.

But our breath contains the power of vitality and life. Even if you only consciously focused on your breathing for one minute a day, it can bring about some incredible benefits.

New research has recognized that breathing can be an effective way to reduce stress and anxiety caused due to high cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, and even improve the immune system.

I don’t care how busy you are. You have time to stop for one minute and breathe properly. Put down the book, smartphone and laptop. Breathe in for 6 seconds. Hold. and breathe out for 6 seconds. Repeat for one minute.

Feel better? Good.

You now have a tool you can deploy anytime you’re feeling stressed or anxious.

10. Let yourself cry

Do it.

Ugly cry, silent cry, moaning cry.

You’ll feel a lot better after you let it out.

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