What To Do When You’ve Gotten Off Track

Cycles are part of the natural order of things. We can be in the groove with our work and rituals, and then we can feel out of sync. So sometimes, the solution to something not working for you is to simply enter into a new phase of the cycle.

How many times have you finally found a rhythm for yourself that just flowed, whether that be with regular exercise, healthy meals, regular team meetings, keeping tracker tools updated, etc? And then, something came along that threw you off your game? It’s almost inevitable.  

I had two clients last week raise concerns about their organizational habits. It got my attention because in both cases, they'd had a rhythm that worked for them in the past that had been interrupted due to extraordinary circumstances at work. They wanted to use our coaching to think through a new system.

But they didn’t really need a new system. The solution to their struggle was easier than that. "Just get back on the wagon." I said. "It sounds like you hit a bump and fell off. What do you think about trying to reinstate your old rhythm that worked for you?"

They had both assumed their system wasn't working and that's why it fell by the wayside. I countered that we can't prevent hitting every bump along the way that might knock us off track. Those extraordinary circumstances that led them away from their routine were just that - not ordinary. Further, the circumstances were outside the clients’ control. 

Plus, re-adopting their old rituals would naturally come with small adjustments that would render those habits even more robust. Those habits did work – for a year in one case and at least 6 months in the other – long enough to prove themselves worth another try.

You are going to have phases where you’re in the flow and you have systems and rituals that really work for you. And then something will come along to interrupt the cadence, for one reason or another. That doesn't automatically mean your system design was flawed. Restarting the habits that worked well for you is a great option!

See other blogs about energy cycles.