Loads of Change

This has been a huge week for IT staff at the University of Minnesota.  We reached the culmination of a three-year project to revamp the IT job classification system.  This week all IT staff received a placement in the new classification scheme.  For some this was a relatively small change, but others experienced great change.  Some experienced extra stress by having to make decisions about benefits changes.

Here is an article that might help some of those having the most stress about this change:  "5 Tips to Help You Respond Effectively to Change."  This article is published in Psychology Today.

Here are the major sections of this article, along with some of my thoughts.  But I strongly encourage you to read the article itself for a richer experience.

• Keep things in perspective.  I personally have found it easy to get stressed out when I let things grow bigger in mind than they are in reality.  My dad used to advise me to imagine writing my cares down on a piece of paper, sealing them in an envelope, and then opening it a year later.  You'll be surprised how this imagery can help you put things in perspective, even if you don't actually do this.
• Practice the 5 P's:  patience, persistent, practical, positive and purpose.  My personal downfall can be lack of patience.  Sometimes I want things fixed now.  Over the years, I have come to realize that things take time, especially if you want a good outcome.
• Stay focused on who you are and what you need.  It's easy to focus on what others want from you or think of you.  What do you think of yourself?  What can you do for yourself today?
• Question, assess, and evaluate your core beliefs about change.  If you tend to think change is bad, why is that?  Is there anything good about change?  Or about the particular change you are faced with now?
• Take as much time as you need before you respond.  This has been truly helpful to me.  I often "sleep on" an issue and mull it over for a day or longer before I respond.  It continues to amaze me how answers pop up if it give it enough time.

If you are feeling stressed by change, take a deep breath and treat yourself well.  It will all work out, one way or the other.