How to manage stressful thoughts about work.

I was recently talking to a client that was going through a tough time at work.  She was still employed but the team had gone through layoffs and there was an impending restructure coming which meant her job would likely change.  She wasn’t sure how to move forward or prioritize work given this rolling organizational change and lack of alignment on key projects. To make matters worse her boss went out unexpectedly for several months to manage a personal issue. 

Have you been there? 

In a professional landscape that doesn’t stop shifting. In a place where ‘business as usual’ feels impossible and more time is spent venting with co-workers than moving work forward?  In a time where there is literally more than you can possibly get done as you scramble to cover for your boss, covering a job you literally don’t know how to do, while still holding together the pieces of your workload. 

What matters in this situation is getting specific. My client knew she was feeling overwhelmed, but she had attributed it to the general situation.  Here’s the thing though, we can’t work with the general situation. We can only work one thought at a time. 

So together we laid out what she was thinking about her work situation.  She told me:

• There is so much happening right now and I cannot grasp any of the details

• There is too much going on

• Every day I have to cover something for my boss that I don’t know how to do 

These specific thoughts were what was leading her to feeling overwhelmed, not the situation. When she told herself that ‘there is too much going on’ then she didn’t start tackling anything. When she told herself ‘I don’t know how to do my boss’s job’ she felt hopeless.  And underlying it all was an unspoken sense that it wouldn’t get better and she was stuck here. 

One by one we took the thoughts and brainstormed what could feel just a little bit better? What thought could she replace these ones with that might lead to a little less feeling of overwhelm?  

We went from ‘I don’t know how to do this’ to ‘I’m learning how to get this done’.  From ‘there is too much going on’ to ‘It's most important that I cover my boss’s work, if mine has to wait that’s okay.’  And the one that helped take down the dread ‘this is temporary.’

These small shifts in language and phrasing make a world of difference in how you approach your days and how you feel about your work.  If you’re interested in learning more about working with me, book a free call at https://www.kelseyseppacoaching.com/work-with-me.