Focus on Small, Doable Tasks to Make Progress in a Chaotic Situation
Everything at work went crazy. Your boss is giving orders, your colleagues are in a panic, and you are almost certain the front desk is on fire. When everything is falling apart around you, focus on small tasks that you can get done.
As Business Site Inc. notes, chaotic situations are made worse when you try to solve everything at once. Instead of trying to focus on the big picture, find the little things that you can quickly deal with and get them done. Then you can move on to the next one. Before you even notice, the chaos will get a little more manageable:
Identify small wins that the team can achieve quickly and easily.
These quick wins need to be meaningful and celebrated as it will help build confidence, boost morale and build momentum.
In my life I use the mantra “One piece at a time.” When I plan a project or travel, there are always fifteen things to do in a very short amount of time. When someone tells me about three things to do, I pull out the phrase, “One at a time,” and choose the first thing I can do. Once that’s done, I’ll move on to the next one. Repeating a phrase over and over again helps me focus on the individual tasks I need to complete in order to cope with the chaos, instead of being overwhelmed by everything I need to do at once.
7 Ways Successful Leaders Deal With Chaos and Uncertainty | Inc.