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How do you deal with chaos and the unexpected without losing your mind?
When things don't go as planned...
Jo Yang
November 27, 2024
Life is chaos.
You can plan your diary to perfection, prepare your week like a pro, but all it takes is one unforeseen event to sweep it all away.
So how do you organize yourself to deal with these unexpected situations?
How do you keep calm when everything seems to be falling apart?
Today, I'd like to share with you my strategies for navigating chaos, inspired by my own recent difficulties.
Chaos and uncertainty: part of the game, part of the inevitable
Imagine: one Saturday, you check your business account to make a transfer to a service provider, and then, surprise! Unexplained debits appear, transactions coming from... Florida. Between a hotel and a museum, you realize that your bank card has been hacked and your account is being emptied on the other side of the world.
Panic? Stress? Yes, of course.
That's what happened to me when I had a big week of work planned.
But the question is: what to do at this very moment?
Chaos, like this situation, is unpredictable. Whether it's technical, administrative or personal, it always ends up invading our lives. The key is to absorb it and move on.
My 5 Steps to Managing the Unforeseen
Accept what's beyond your control
Not everything depends on you. Faced with situations like bank fraud or an administrative problem, there are steps you must take, but also deadlines that are out of your hands. Accept them. Letting go doesn't mean giving up, but it does mean not wasting energy unnecessarily.
React quickly to what's essential
When the fraud occurred, my first action was to block my card. Then I prepared the necessary documents for the bank and filed a complaint. You need to act quickly on what you can solve immediately, while keeping a cool head.
Create an organizational system that anticipates chaos
My organizational model is designed to accommodate the unexpected:
Flexibility slots: I leave unplanned time slots each week to absorb delays or handle emergencies.
Delegation: certain tasks can be entrusted to collaborators or tools. This reduces pressure.
Ceilings and safeguards: on my accounts or projects, I set limits to prevent the worst from getting out of hand.
Prioritize and get on with things
Once emergencies have been dealt with, I return to my priorities. Even if chaos disrupts my plans, I keep moving forward on what really matters for my long-term goals.
Learning to stay calm in the face of uncertainty
Sometimes chaos resolves itself. Many problems don't need excessive agitation to disappear. Keeping calm and acting intelligently can limit the damage and protect your energy.
The Resilient and Agile Organization:
A crucial point I teach in my programs, particularly Flowtasking, is never to overload your schedule. If every minute is planned, you have no leeway to deal with the unexpected. Good organization includes :
Buffer days: set aside one day a week or month to catch up on work or absorb the unexpected.
Flexible routines: incorporate moments of pause and adaptation into your days.
Long-term vision: if you lose a week, your year won't fall apart if your overall plan is solid.
Lessons learned from Chaos
This experience also reminded me of a fundamental truth: life never follows a perfect script. As much as we like to be in control, it's essential to remain adaptable.
This doesn't mean that you have to live in fear of the unexpected, but rather that you have to be prepared, while accepting that some things are not 100% controllable.
Mental preparation: Accept uncertainty. Murphy's Law (“anything that can go wrong, will”) is not a fatality, but a reminder that the unexpected is part of the game.
Material preparation: Secure your tools, divide your resources, and prepare alternatives to avoid total blockages.
As we approach 2025, remember that agility will be your best ally.
Whatever your plans, they will probably have to be adjusted along the way. My strategy for the new year includes increased flexibility and an even more robust system for dealing with chaos.
Chaos is not your enemy. It's a constant reminder that life is dynamic and unpredictable.
Rather than fight against it, learn to anticipate it, adapt to it, and move forward in spite of it. Your resilience will be your greatest asset in transforming the unexpected into opportunity.
What are your tips for dealing with the unexpected?
Remember: controlling the uncontrollable means accepting that you can't control everything. 🌊
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