The systems I’ve relied on for years to keep me organized, productive, and responsive need an upgrade. The onset of COVID-19 and all the new tasks and amped up responsibilities are crashing into my well established habits- how I plan, work, and take care of myself and my family. I know I’m not alone, friends and clients are sharing the same type of challenges.
Here’s the thing, many of my strategies from the past are proving to be ineffective, encouraging me to take on a completely different approach to navigating these #unprecedientedtimes.
The solution isn’t tightening my grip, double downing on my calendar, or scenario spinning about all that could go wrong in an effort to anticipate and mitigate. These are old tactics that don’t stand a chance against running a household and working full-time while responding to 2nd grade math questions and managing my kid’s Zoom call schedule.
The solution is somewhere in the land of letting go and taking my hands off the wheel. So, I’ve chosen to let go of strategy and lean into these six practices instead:
- Create from what is in front of me right now- This involves paying attention and noticing what the most important thing is at any given moment, looking at the resources I have within me and with my family to address what is needed. Get present.
- Trust my choices in the moment- When I’m clear on what is important, I can trust the decisions I’m making around what to do- or not do- next.
- Fail and recover- I’m making it okay for myself and family members to get it wrong and try again. What makes this possible is believing that at any given moment, I am doing my best.
- Learn and go again- the gift of failure is learning, I’m taking this learning (i.e. let go of the strategy), rolling it into new approaches, and giving them a try.
- Rest- I’m finding this in the weekends, nature, and doing what it takes so that my family and I are getting enough sleep.
- Be easy on myself- and others, we all deserve an abundance of grace.
This isn’t a checklist or a one and done, this is a practice that allows me to stay in the perspective of freedom and choice. When I trust my ability to respond- or be response-able, I know can take on whatever comes my way. When I can stand with the chaos as opposed to in the chaos I have the traction I need to put my foot on whatever comes my way and step forward.
Want help integrating these practices into your life right now? Contact me for more information on leadership and personal development coaching- [email protected] or through my website www.shannonsalentine.com