PROBLEM SOLVING

Body requires food for development. Mind requires knowledge, set of skills to solve problems and deal with complexities of life.

People differ not only in how much they worry, but also in what they worry. Quite often the way we see the problem is the problem. It would be helpful to start with self, your motivation, and what you were looking for. The introspection could help to explain the underlying reason for feeling uneasy or bad about certain things. There could be something which you need to see on a deeper, more fundamental level, something in your nature which affects the way you see things. It could be the framework for understanding the world, the self, and their inter-relations.



Psychologists term the things people worry about as ‘problems’ Human problems vary greatly in their complexity and the ease or difficulty with which they can be solved. Problems can be seen as situations where something bad happening to you is bothering you. It might be to do with your job, - you cannot meet the deadline. You fear that the negative consequence would be that your boss or line manager will not be too pleased with you, and this may lead to you being given a warning or being sacked. It might be about your weight, you are losing the shape you are accustomed to, or you might be drinking too much and are not happy with it. A mentally healthy way of course is to solve the problem which is bothering you. Those with an unhealthy mental approach worry or react badly. Some even get into trouble with the law because they react badly or make wrong decisions. Defining a problem precisely and accurately is a giant step towards solving the problem. The mistake most people make is not to be specific enough about the precise aspect of the problem that really bothers them. You need to recognise and name what is bothering you or creating ‘bad feelings.’ If it is about meeting a deadline, the questions you may wish to ask yourself are:

1. Are you upset with yourself?

2. Are you nervous / distressed about your line manager or employer being annoyed?

3. Devising a strategy or time table to meet the dead line?

A good test of clarity is to be able to express it so that some one else can understand it and give you help if the need arises, on the basis of the information you provide.

One method of solving a problem systematically is:

• Recognise and name the ‘bad feelings’ or pause and think about what is really bothering you.

• Define the problem following the above mentioned suggestions • What do you want? This will also ensure that your goal is in accordance with your values and core principles.

• Think of as many ways as you can of getting what you want.

• Choose the best options. Once you have thought about the different options, consider the consequences of adopting each way, and decide which options to drop because they will do more harm than good.

• Decide how you are going to proceed. Devise a strategy or time table on the basis of the sensible options you are left with.

• Carry out the time table or strategies you have spelt out • Analyse: With this approach, you can monitor each step along the way and correct any deviation from the plan to attain the results. You can also think about your performance in solving the problem after all the stages have been completed. If you are happy with your performance, give your self a pat on the back. If the problem is still bothering you or is not solved to your satisfaction, examine whether you adhered to the strategy you devised, or followed the stages outlined above. When you go back to analyse why things haven’t worked the way you wanted them to, do not become defensive, and move further away from finding a positive solution. Going too deep into the problem by dwelling on the ‘why’ may not point the way forward. A more constructive way would be to focus on questions like:

1. What did you hope to achieve by doing X.

2. Did your emotions interfere in solving the problem, i.e. you getting angry anxious etc?

3. Was it because of lack of skills?

• Alternative ways: Consider other ways of solving the problem if you are not happy with the outcome. This constructive process suggests a different way of thinking about your problems and issues. Remember what Albert Einstein said: “The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.’’ May be you need a new level, a deeper level of thinking.



PROBLEM SOLVING - To learn more about this author, visit Sohan Singh's Website.

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