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Problem Solving
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
Seven steps to solve a problem may seem like overkill, especially for smaller problems.
However, it is worth giving this process a try getting practice going through this step-
by-step approach to coming up with solutions to problems can be really useful
preparation for the bigger problems you may face in the future. The more you practice
this, the easier it will be to move through the steps efficiently and effectively.
Sounds easy, right? Not always. Sometimes you may not be clear on what the specific
problem is, or you may see a collection of specific problems as just one huge problem.
In order to solve a problem, you need to figure out exactly what the problem is.
Start by making a list of problems you need to fix. These can be related to any part of
your life.
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
To help you narrow down the problem, it can be helpful to ask yourself some
questions:
What is the situation right now?
W
hat is making me
feel upset?
W
hat would I like
the situation to
be?
Once you are clear on what exactly the problem is, you can start to think about it from
different angles.
Here is a list of questions you can ask yourself that may help you think about your
problem in different ways. This process can help you in coming up with ideas for
effective solutions.
How is this problem affecting me?
How is this problem affecting others?
Is this a problem for anyone else?
If so, what are other people doing about this?
Are there any obstacles in the way of solving this what is standing in my way?
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
Isnt it time to start thinking about solutions? Not quite yet! Before you decide how you
are going to solve the problem, it is important to think carefully about what it is
exactly that you want to achieve. This is especially true for bigger, more complicated
problems.
Think about your problem, and what it is that you want to achieve it is time to start
narrowing down your goals. If one of your problems is my job is very stressful, you
may be tempted to say your goal is to reduce my stress at work. This is probably
very true but not very helpful in terms of really setting a goal because it is quite vague
and general. How would you reduce the stress at work? Setting goals can be a lot more
effective you use the
SMART principle.
The SMART
principle is a technique
for goal setting that
can help you set goals
you can actually
achieve. Here is how it
works:
This can be harder than you think! Use the box below to start working on your
goal. There is lots of space provided so that you can rework your goal to meet
all of the SMART criteria.
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
Think about how you will know when you have reached your goal, and record it in the
space below. If you have trouble answering this question, you may want to keep
working on defining your SMART goal so that you feel clear on how you will know when
you have achieved it.
Using the SMART principle can be useful to determining what it is that you want to
achieve. It is also a helpful tool to use later on when you are planning your specific
solutions.
Finally, time to start thinking about solutions! This is a time for brainstorming the
more possible solutions you find, the more likely it is that you will find the most
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
effective solutions. There is space in the box below to start writing down possible
solutions to your problem. If you need more space, use extra paper.
Here
are a few
brainstorming tips:
Its easier to find a good solution when you have lots of different solutions to choose from.
It doesnt matter whether the ideas are useful or practical at this stage just write down any
a as it comes to you. This may help get the juices flowing and lead you to new and creative solutions. You
n discard the bad ideas later.
You can also seek ideas about possible solutions by talking to others.
Some solutions that seem silly at first can work when combined with other ideas.
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
Review your list of possible solutions. Think about which of these are most likely to
give you the outcome you want. Which ones are most relevant to your situation?
Which ones are most manageable? What are the pros and cons of the possible solutions?
If you think it might be helpful, review your possible solutions with a friend or family
member, and talk about the possible outcomes for your solutions, and about which ones
might be the most practical or easy to implement.
Going through the process of thinking about possible outcomes and the advantages and
disadvantages of your possible solutions will help you identify the solution that will
probably work best for you.
You can use the following questions as a guide to choosing the best solution.
Will this help me reach my goal and solve the problem?
How good or bad will I feel if I choose this solution? Sometimes solutions can solve the problem
end up making you feel unhappy.
Back in Motion Rehab Inc.
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
How much time and effort does this solution involve? Is this practical for me right now?
Does this solution have more benefits than costs? Think about how your possible solution will
ect you and others.
Remember that a perfect solution rarely exists. There may be possible negative
consequences to all of your possible solutions. Your job is to pick a solution that is the
best for
you
right
now,
with the
most
benefits
and the
least costs.
Record the solution you think will work the best for you in the box below.
After youve picked your solution, it is time to make a plan of action! Think about the
SMART principle make sure your plan is specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic,
and time-limited. Write down all the steps it will take to carry out your solution. You
will be much more likely to take action if you know exactly what you need to do, step
by step.
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
Now its time to get started! Plan when exactly you are going to begin to implement
you plan.
Step 7:
Evaluate Effectiveness
Back in Motion Rehab Inc.
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
So did your solution work? Once you have implemented your plan, you can determine
whether you were successful in solving your problem. If the answer is yes, then pat
yourself on the back! If things didnt go as planned, then you may need to figure out
what went wrong or got in the way. You may need to revamp your plan, or perhaps go
back and choose a different solution, and make a new step-by-step plan. You can use
the space below to map out your revised plan, or if you decide on a different solution, a
new step-by-step plan.
Dont
get
discouraged if you have to go through these steps more than once. Finding the right
solution can be challenging, especially for more complicated problems.
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Megan has been back at work
Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
for two weeks after a six
month leave due to problems
she was having with lower
Lets run through back pain and depression. an example of this seven
step process. She is finding her return to
work to be pretty tough; she
is having trouble staying
focused and finds multi-
tasking leaves her feeling
anxious and frantic. She feels
overwhelmed by her job tasks
and worries that she is falling
behind. Her back pain seems
to be getting worse from
sitting in her office chair for
so long. She is exhausted
after work and finds that she
is irritable with her husband
and kids.
Im disorganized.
My disorganization results in me having trouble focusing (because I am
trying to do to many things at once, or I switch tasks before completing what Im doing) and
forgetting things (Im forgetting things because I dont keep track of the things I need to
Megan reviewed her problem list, and decided to focus on #2 Im disorganized. She
worked on narrowing down the problem a little bit more:
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
When Megan started thinking more carefully about her problem, she realized that
several of the problems on her original list were related to the problems she was having
with disorganization. It also helped her to start thinking about how she would like
things to change.
Megan used these questions to help her look at her problem from different angles:
This process helped Megan start thinking about the negative effects this problem was
having on her and those around her, but also helped her see that she is not the only one
struggling with disorganization. It also helped her starting thinking about ways that
others deal with being disorganized (and that she knew some of these strategies already
she was teaching them to her son!)
Megan used the SMART (specific, manageable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-
limited) principle to develop a goal:
This helped
Megan SMART Goal come up
with an overall goal
for what I want to improve my time management skills so she wanted
to achieve. that I can feel more in control of my work tasks and There were
still details environment. I would like to have a practical plan to work out
(like the ready by Friday so that I can start making changes plan!) but
she could on Monday. use the
SMART principle
again later to help her
work out more
detailed, specific action-oriented goals.
Megan made a list of things she might be able to do to help her be more organized at
work.
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
Megan reviewed her list of possible solutions, and thought about how realistic and
manageable they were, as well as the possible outcomes. She decided a few of her
solutions were not such great ideas for her at this point of time. For example, staying
late might result in her feeling more stressed and overwhelmed, and even grumpier
when she got home. It also might not be manageable, given that her back pain was
worse at the end of the day. She decided that there were a few possible solutions
that were worth focusing on because she believed they were most likely to be of
benefit, and had the least amount of risk.
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
Clean up my desk!
Take breaks so I can relax a bit and organize my thoughts
(this might also help with my back pain!)
Turn off my email notifications so I can stay focused on
what Im doing (instead of switching to my email)
Schedule time to catch up on emails
However, these seemed like a lot to do at once. Megan decided it would be most
manageable for her to work on implementing one possible solution at a time. She
decided to choose one solution and work on implementing it over a period of one week.
If that went well, she would try to start on one of the other solutions the following
week.
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
At the end of the week, Megan was pleased with how using her computer
email/calendar system was helping her be more organized. However, she identified a
few problems.
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Getting Ready to Return to Work: Problem-Solving | 2014
You can use Megans example to help you work through this process using your own
problems. Remember that effective problem-solving is a process that takes time and
practice. It doesnt always go right the first time thats okay! Remind yourself to be
flexible, and to keep trying. Learn from what didnt work and move forward!
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