How To Change Your Plans

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Adapting to unexpected challenges in your professional and personal life is an important aspect of knowing how to change your plans.

If you love planning, you may struggle to adapt when life throws up a curveball. This is entirely normal, as many folks struggle to pivot in the face of adversity or setbacks. However, learning how to change your plans is crucial if you want to thrive in the professional world, as 70% of small businesses in Canada fail due to poor management. 

Becoming more adaptable can improve your mental health and help you embrace more effective ways of working, as well. This is crucial if you want to have a long, successful career but find that work stress interferes with your ability to relax and recover when you’re away from the desk. 

Changing your plans isn’t admitting defeat, either. In fact, finding a new path forward when your current plan isn’t working is a sign of mental strength and adaptability. This can be particularly powerful if you are leading a team and want them to embrace an ethos of continuous improvement. 

Stress and Planning

A solid plan is supposed to help you manage your stress by laying the groundwork for the future. However, when things are not going to plan, it’s only natural to see your stress levels rise. That said, you shouldn’t let the stress of changing plans deter you from making a switch when conditions demand that you pivot toward a better strategy. You can release change-related-stress today by: 

• Create plans with the knowledge that they could change
• Use mental cues to help you get away from overthinking
• Start now, rather than waiting for the “perfect” moment to start
• Accept that bad times will occur, but that good days are around the corner, too

Identifying when your plan isn’t working is crucial for your mental health. Failing to move away from a bad plan can lead to overworking and may create employee burnout. This is a serious issue, as the effects of long-term burnout include: 

• Gastrointestinal issues like stomach ulcers and digestive problems
• High blood pressure
• Migraines and headaches which may cause you to underperform and miss work 
• A weakened immune system which could lead to increased colds and flu
• Addiction and substance abuse as you try to keep up with your peers

Avoiding burnout is key if you want to lead a healthy, happy life. Pivoting away from a plan that could cause burnout is better for your professional growth, too, as you’re far less likely to make mistakes and will achieve your goals when you feel mentally and physically fresh. 

Changing a Broken Plan

Making a change when you recognize a plan isn’t working is key to your long-term growth. Changing a broken plan can help you achieve your goals sooner, as making a few subtle changes to a strategy could streamline your efforts and help you become a more adaptable, resilient leader in the workplace. 

Before you throw your existing plan out, consider what elements of the strategy are working for you. For example, if you work in marketing and are struggling to post enough social content, you probably don’t want to throw out useful parts of the plan like post schedulers or existing templates. Instead, try modifying your existing workflow and make good use of the elements of your plan that you believe are working for you today. Being more adaptable comes with professional benefits like: 

• Enhanced creativity thanks to more flexible thinking
• Improved ability to capitalize on unpredictable opportunities
• Sustained motivation due to reduced stress and a more adaptable mindset

Changing plans can help you negotiate career changes, too. For example, if you think you want to climb the ladder internally at your place of work, but discover that another firm is offering higher pay and better benefits, you may want to put your existing plan on hold and consider all your options properly. 

Asking for Help 

Getting “stuck” in a broken plan can be a real headache. You may even feel trapped by your existing workflow or could discover that adjusting your plans is almost impossible. If this is the case, you should seriously consider asking your peers and colleagues for help. Asking for help can be empowering, as reaching out to peers in search of support can: 

• Help you build stronger connections with the folks you work with 
• Support your emotional well-being by sharing the load you’ve been bearing alone
• Enhance your productivity by ensuring your hard work goes towards meaningful ends
• Improve your decision-making by sharing your thoughts and receiving helpful feedback

When asking for help, consider connecting with a trusted mentor or a more experienced peer first. Their insights can help you see a clear path forward and may help you destress when you’re feeling overwhelmed.  

Conclusion

Changing your plans isn’t an admission of defeat — it’s an opportunity to do things better. Rather than getting hung up on the things that aren’t working, take a proactive, productive approach toward enhancing your plans and creating strategies that are more likely to work in the future. Knowing how to change your plans can do wonders for your mental health, too, as you’ll be able to accept change and reduce your overall workload.