What to do when you got stuck - 8 Immediate Measures
2017, June 16th
Almost everybody knows this feeling: You got stuck, things don’t move forward as you want them to. Grrrh!!!
1. Is it one of these days, when everything goes wrong and you quite simply do not get round to it? The business plan, a presentation or your next article are close to their deadline and only nothing springs to mind.
2. Did you get stuck somewhere in your life?! You are fighting for the (re)solution of a situation or you find yourself running around in circles because of the same old patterns.
3. Did you enthusiastically start a new professional project and now it got stuck in the middle of nowhere?!
With this article I mainly refer on the 1st case and offer you 8 immediate measures. At the same time they serve as a solid base for the next steps involving cases 2 and 3, which I dedicate the follow-up article to.
Immediate measures – generating momentum
1. Get out of the head and into the body
Movement moves: Get your sportswear and really work off energy or use smoother sports like Yoga or Qigong, whatever is good for you.
For me often turning on the music and freely dance or enjoyably jump on the mini-trampoline (rebounder) just for 15 min is enough to generate the next energy boost or creative idea.
2. The magic of nature
Here we take in fresh air, light and new energy! Go and consciously enjoy the refreshing and revitalizing power of nature again, e.g. with a beautiful walk in the woods or at the lake.
This works perfectly in combination with the first measure. Treat yourself to an hour or two of your favorite outdoor-sport. For me this a short mountain bike tour, in winter one round of cross-country skiing or in summer a quick swim in the lake.
3. Breath is Life
Weather in nature or at home: Diverse breathing exercises can help us to relax, returning to ourselves and even to raise energy.
My favorite techniques are deep abdominal breathing, the yogic fire breathing and connected breathing techniques like you use for Trance Dance or Rebirthing. The last one can even have ecstatic effects – without any drugs at all ;-)
4. Get out of the routine – into the flow of creativity
- Give yourself and your head a change of location. Away from the computer or the office to a working space, where more creativity is flowing. I have for example in my office different areas for different forms of working: the creative writing spot, the concept desk,a brainstorming at the lake, Coaching by Walking in the nearby woods etc
- What is also good for a change is getting away from the keyboard and taking handwritten notes, mind-mapping or sketching.
- During my Coachings and Workshops I like to do crossover exercises with the participants, which promote the exchange between left and right hemisphere of the brain, are a lot of fun and activate the circulation at the same time.
- Visualizations with and without music and external pictures or meditations put the brain in the alpha or theta state and give access to creative-intuitive solutions. Please find more about brain waves and their access in the follow-up article.
5. Nutrition – Eating what nourishes me
There has been said a lot about nutrition. My intention is not to write another nutrition guide, but to share what is good for me:
- For example can avoiding junk food and a balanced diet help to approach challenges with more energy and clarity. Green smoothies, superfoods and green matcha tea provide a lasting energy boost.
- If the nervous system is overstimulated and the thoughts just keep on rotating, grounding can also be supported through nutrition: this could be a good steak with onions or substantial root vegetables for the vegan readers.
- Important for fresh cells and a fresh head is enough water. Nutritional recommendations talk about 1.5 to 2 l per day.
- And here we come to the paradoxes of life: Sometimes it’s the right opposite and we treat ourselves to a break of discipline with our favorite ice cream, a yummy cake from the bakery next door or a piece of chocolate.
Ideally you have a good connection to your body, and then your body will tell you, what it needs in that particular moment. Ask your body: “Dear Body, what can I do you good right now? “
6. Good questions – mental aikido
Ask yourself good, constructive questions. It can help to write them on cards and position them above the desk. Often the challenge is that they don’t come to your mind, when you need them the most.
Here are some examples of good questions, which help my clients:
- What would do me good? If no answer appears ask further: Assuming I knew it, what would it be? Trust the answer, even if it sounds weird in the first place.
- Where is my focus? On the problem or the solution?
- What can I constructively contribute to the solution right now?
And please do avoid destructive questions in the first step e.g. Why don’t I get started today? Why am I again in this tricky situation? Don’t get me wrong: It does make sense to have a look at the reasons and patterns from a little distance. AND at the same time it doesn’t make sense to wallow in learned helplessness or victimization in the acute situation. I hope the difference comes across.
7. A sprinkle of humor sweetens our life
Like Erich Kästner said: “Humor is the umbrella of the wise people! “ The situation often relaxes with a sprinkle of humor and my experience shows, that laughter is often the first step on the way to a solution. Freely adapting Hesse’s words, don’t take yourself and the situation to seriously. ;-)
8. The „Do good, feel good“ – list
I know from my Coaching clients, that they often struggle to remember the good and strengthening measures in those difficult moments. Therefore I recommend to compile a “do good, feel good“-list in a good and strong moment and to come back to that particular list in critical moments!
I hope you became keen on testing one or the other measure and I curious to read and learn from your own “do good, feel good“ – measures.
As a small inspiration for the example cases 2 and 3 at the beginning of the article I would like to quote Albert Einstein ”We can't solve our problems by using the same kind of thinking we used to create them.” You can look forward to the following article!
Wishing you fresh momentum for your next step,
Annette Freund
FREUND INSPIRED MOVE
Annette Freund is Founder and Managing Director of the consulting company FREUND INSPIRED MOVE in Switzerland. She is inspired by change processes: Strong Individuals! Reforming Teams! Transforming Organizations!
She provides her services in German and English speaking environments.
Picture: © Sergey Nivens / fotolia.com