For the past week, we (and all our neighbours in the street) have had no internet at home. This in turn, has meant that where previously I was accustomed to only going into the office for in-person meetings, I have had to drive through every day — in peak hour traffic, spending time, I could have been working and using petrol, I could have saved.
At first, I saw it as a negative experience, one that inconvenienced me and messed with my daily habits and routines, and while it has been something of an inconvenience, it has not been all bad. Overall, it has been a positive experience.
Yes, I have had to adapt to the long commute, and my family has had to adapt to me not being home during the day. But honestly, I have been less distracted and more productive. My To-Do List is getting shorter every day. I have even started tackling those things that I have been putting off for some time now.
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Change can be inconvenient, uncomfortable, and costly but it certainly has a way of shaking up our lives, causing us to set our priorities in order.
It has only been a few days but the line between work and home life is less blurry now. When I am home, I focus on family life and responsibilities, and when I am at work, I focus on work.
Whether we experience it personally or not, we are all exposed to change on a daily basis. We need look no further than the loadshedding schedule to know that change is on the horizon.
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If we think of change in a continuum, the change that I experienced this week, while inconvenient was not catastrophic.
So, what can we do to help ourselves (and others) cope better with any kind of change, to feel less overwhelmed by it and, where necessary, less resistant to it? The following guidelines are helpful:
- Think things through and ask, ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’
Often, change is associated with the unknown but if we take the time to think through what could possibly happen next, it usually alleviates the stress of the situation. Many times, our worst-case scenarios do not even materialise.
- Ask: “How much can I control?”
It helps to know what can be controlled and what cannot. It brings perspective. If we focus on what we can do, and start working on those things, not only do we feel empowered, but our stress is often reduced as well.
- Accept the change and reposition accordingly.
When we accept change, rather than fight it, we are more likely to see the situation as an opportunity for growth instead of a setback.
- Celebrate the positives.
While any positives may not be obvious at first, it is worth seeking them out as this will help us with managing the change.
- Take action.
Where possible, we should play an active role in managing the situation rather than allowing it to cause overwhelm, which can quickly lead to our discouragement.
- Seek support.
When all efforts fail, ask family or friends for support and godly counsel.
The French writer Francois de La Rochefoucauld famously stated: “The only thing constant in life is change.”
I disagree.
Yes, change is a constant in our lives, but it is not the only constant. For those who believe, and who read the Scriptures, we can take comfort in the fact that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13: 8). Ultimately, it is He who enables us to navigate change in all its forms.
Acknowledgements: https://au.reachout.com/articles/7-tips-for-dealing-with-changehttps://au.reachout.com/articles/7-tips-for-dealing-with-change
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