Problems are a part of our lives as business owners. Most of them are ordinary and can be easily solved with patience and perseverance. Generally, when dealing with problems, entrepreneurs tend to make use of the solutions they have tried before. There are situations when these solutions don’t work, so people get stressed and anxious.
Identify your problem
Firstly, it is important to analyze if you are dealing with a problem. People have the tendency to ignore or procrastinate when dealing with difficult issues and this leads to anxiety and a high level of stress. Avoiding problems causes them to come back and turn small problems into big ones over time. On the other hand, solving a problem makes you feel released and brings you only benefits.
In order to identify your problems, it is advisable to create a list. It has been noticed that problems are much easier to work on if they are written down. You also have the possibility to see how certain problems appear repeatedly.
When you write them down, pay attention to your feelings. Avoid making the mistake of thinking that your emotions are the problem. When you deal with anxiety, stress or annoyance, make it possible to find the problem that causes your negative feelings.
Define the problem
An important step is to clearly define the problem by focusing on it and asking yourself some questions about the situation, including how you would like the situation to be and which are the obstacles you are dealing with.
Avoid putting assumptions into your definition as it will make the problem impossible to solve. Instead, try to be specific and avoid being too vague. This way, you’ll be able to start fixing it as soon as possible.
Stay positive
Avoid looking at your problems in a negative way because this will worsen the whole situation. If you consider your problems to be threatening or that having them is a sign of weakness or failure and you think you are not capable of solving them, then you won’t solve them. Instead, try to find some benefit or opportunity and you’ll be more likely to work on them. For example, if you are not getting along with some persons, you may consider this an opportunity to improve your communication skills.
Set specific goals
Another step is to establish realistic and achievable goals for your problem. If they are unrealistic, chances are you will not reach them and will finish the process by feeling disappointed. You may start with short-term goals that can be reached quickly. It is also recommended to set long-term goals.
Find and apply proper solutions
When dealing with stress and anxiety, picking a solution to your problem may be quite difficult. On the other hand, procrastinating or ignoring your problem can lead to more anxiety. Start to think up solutions instead of using the same old solutions you have already applied. It is one of the biggest mistakes one can make. A good idea to find new solutions is to apply the rules of brainstorming.
Chances are you can find a good solution if you have plenty of solutions to choose from. Try to come up with several solutions to your problems. Don’t overthink them, even if they seem extreme, foolish or hard to achieve. Write them down and make sure they are different from each other. Be aware of the fact that when dealing with difficult problems, the first idea that strikes your mind is not necessarily the best, so think more to come up with new possibilities.
The best path is to be specific when thinking of possible solutions. Specific behaviors usually get the best results compared to general strategies.
Ask your friends and family for help. They may have different ideas that you have not even thought of.
Your goal should be to find the best solution to your problem. Be conscious of the fact that any solution will require some time and effort. Consider how will you feel if you pick a certain solution. If this will make you feel bad, guilty or anxious, it might not be the best solution to choose.
Other things to consider are related to the benefits of the solution you want to choose, both at the moment you pick it and in the long-term. The best solution should bring the most benefits and the fewest costs possible. Also, bring into the equation the other people involved or affected by your solution and analyze carefully if the costs don’t outweigh the benefits.
Carrying out the solution is usually the most difficult stage because people tend to doubt they picked the best solution. It is similar to the situation in which you are trying to choose a puppy breed, but you cannot balance your own preferences, lifestyle, and feelings. Or it may be worse. One of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made was getting involved in a charitable project that I described on my website. At that moment, I’d been receiving lots of messages, travelling and seen so many situations and things that made it so difficult for me to see where my support could really have made a difference. But now, I know it was the best decision I’d made.
Think that it is better to act than to do nothing at all. It is recommended to make an action plan and include all the steps you need to take to carry out the solution.
After implementing your solution, make sure you are on the right track. There are situations in which the best solutions don’t work out well. Analyze if you defined the problem properly, if your goals were realistic, if there are other good solutions, if you picked the best of them, as well as if you carried it out as planned.
The ability to solve problems is crucial when launching a new business and throughout the entire experience of managing a venture. If you find something wrong when going through these steps, take time, fix the errors and try again. Don’t forget that any problem has a well-suited solution.
