When dealing with problems, sometimes there will be stresses felt. Dealing with stress means dealing with it's main cause: pressure. Specifically, pressures that happen as we solve problems. To relieve stress, we can address the way we handle stress or the way we deal with the pressure. We touched on dealing with pressure before. It is important to identify what or where that pressure is coming from early on during the process. More importantly, we need to know whether the pressure we are feeling is pressure of the problem or pressure solving the problem.
It could be clear once we take a few minutes to think about it.
Basically, pressure caused by the problem are caused by the effects of the problem. Essentially, what the problem is doing or causes. This pressure is directly caused by the problem. For example, if something isn't working and it's causing delays in shipping, the pressures of finding a solution or workaround is "pressure of the problem". There is one way to tackle this. Identify what specifically is causing the pressure, whether they are making things worse or whether they can be ignored. If they can be ignored safely, do so because solving the problem will make them go away anyway. If ignoring the pressure makes the problem worse, you may need help in minimizing the overall effect as way to help reduce the pressure. If you can't solve the problem right now, at least reduce the problem effects and the pressure it creates. Some help may be needed to do this while you are solving the problem itself.
Pressure can also be caused by the effort to solve a problem. This is usually about dealing with the constraints. These are limits that possible solutions have to fit within. It is also about resource management. What are the resources we need to solve the problem? Given unlimited time and other resources, all problems are solvable. It is when there are limits to these resources that make problem solving a challenge. And there will always be limits.
There are two possible approaches.
First is dealing with the limitations. Solutions have to meet resource limits in one way or another, even if it means making compromises on the solution itself. Compromises on solutions should only be done to meet the solution criteria. The solution does need to be perfect but meet most of the solution criteria. The solution must solve the problem.
There could also be limits put on the process of solving the problem. Consider the limits we are facing and the root source of the pressure. Time? Resources? Address the source of the pressure. You can consider dealing with the source of the pressure as a smaller problem to solve. This way, you can consider approaches that is unique to that smaller problem. For example, if our customers are pressuring us to deliver despite problems with transportation, maybe a key bridge collapsed, we can deal with the customer separately from the problem. Communication can be used to manage expectations and find new solutions. Talk to customers and explain the issues in the delay. Listen to them even though we can do nothing at the moment. Sometimes people just want to vent. By focusing on the source of the pressure, customers complaining that they are waiting for our shipment, we think of solutions that meet that problem's solution criteria. For example, we can ask our suppliers to ship a small amount directly to our customer, even though they don't normally ship quantities that small. Our relationship with them could be strong enough for them to make an exception.
Another approach we can take is work around the limitation. Determine the attributes of the limitation. When we understand what the limitation actually is, we can begin to look at how to work around it. By defining the limitation itself, we can make the judgement whether the limitation matters or not. It could be contextual. Some limitation may seem to be limiting at first but it may not matter at all depending on the solution we are considering.
Stress is caused by pressure. Too much pressure is what really causes stress. These pressures can be caused by the problem or by our efforts to solve the problem. It may not be avoidable. By managing the pressures to an acceptable level, we can in turn, manage stress.
It could be clear once we take a few minutes to think about it.
Pressure can also be caused by the effort to solve a problem. This is usually about dealing with the constraints. These are limits that possible solutions have to fit within. It is also about resource management. What are the resources we need to solve the problem? Given unlimited time and other resources, all problems are solvable. It is when there are limits to these resources that make problem solving a challenge. And there will always be limits.
There are two possible approaches.
First is dealing with the limitations. Solutions have to meet resource limits in one way or another, even if it means making compromises on the solution itself. Compromises on solutions should only be done to meet the solution criteria. The solution does need to be perfect but meet most of the solution criteria. The solution must solve the problem.
There could also be limits put on the process of solving the problem. Consider the limits we are facing and the root source of the pressure. Time? Resources? Address the source of the pressure. You can consider dealing with the source of the pressure as a smaller problem to solve. This way, you can consider approaches that is unique to that smaller problem. For example, if our customers are pressuring us to deliver despite problems with transportation, maybe a key bridge collapsed, we can deal with the customer separately from the problem. Communication can be used to manage expectations and find new solutions. Talk to customers and explain the issues in the delay. Listen to them even though we can do nothing at the moment. Sometimes people just want to vent. By focusing on the source of the pressure, customers complaining that they are waiting for our shipment, we think of solutions that meet that problem's solution criteria. For example, we can ask our suppliers to ship a small amount directly to our customer, even though they don't normally ship quantities that small. Our relationship with them could be strong enough for them to make an exception.
Another approach we can take is work around the limitation. Determine the attributes of the limitation. When we understand what the limitation actually is, we can begin to look at how to work around it. By defining the limitation itself, we can make the judgement whether the limitation matters or not. It could be contextual. Some limitation may seem to be limiting at first but it may not matter at all depending on the solution we are considering.
Stress is caused by pressure. Too much pressure is what really causes stress. These pressures can be caused by the problem or by our efforts to solve the problem. It may not be avoidable. By managing the pressures to an acceptable level, we can in turn, manage stress.
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