Problem solving – the process of working through the details of a problem to reach a solution, is a skill which promotes good decision making and encourages confidence and emotional wellbeing.
Problem solving skills are necessary to resolve conflicts that arise in our everyday lives whether big or small. Having the ability to deal with problems promotes self-esteem and self-confidence.
Starting Point
Identify your current level of confidence (1 = no confidence; 2 = some confidence; 3 = very confident).
| The advantages of the problem solving approach and how to apply it | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Ways to avoid acting on impulse | 1 | 2 | 3 |
If you have scored yourself as 1 or 2, this module will be particularly useful for you. If you have scored yourself as very confident, there still may be some resources below that you will find useful. Complete Exercise 1 before moving on to the next module.
Here are three ways in which individuals tend to deal with problems:
Be specific, for example if you are not happy at work, think about what exactly is causing the problem, is it the hours, the commute, the type of work.
Take time to go through all the steps before you make a decision.
Don’t guess at the outcome or rely on the opinion of others.
The more solutions you come up with the more options you have! Even if they seem unrealistic it’s worth considering all the options.
In the Problem of Immediate Gratification section we introduced you to a table of costs and gains. This can be used when evaluating any decision. If the costs outweigh the gains then it can be really obvious that it is not a good decision. You also need to ask yourself if you are choosing a short term ‘fix’ (for example alcohol, drugs, sex), again re-visit the Problem of Immediate Gratification section if you need to understand why you might do this.
Hopefully this is clear having completed the costs and gains above, if not then speak to a trusted friend/family member to get a different view. If you can make a good case to them about the course of action you want to take then you are probably making a well-considered decision. It is unlikely they will support you using a short term ‘fix’ to feel better when it doesn’t address the problem!
Benjamin Franklin said that “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Put your plan into action!
If we don’t evaluate what we did and how well it worked we can end up repeating the same mistakes or thinking we have solved a problem when we haven’t. It might be that you haven’t identified the right problem in the first place; for example, if you didn’t like your work colleagues you might have to change where you work but the type of work is still the same so while you have different colleagues you actually realise it is the type of work you do that needs to change.
Exercise 1 – What approach do I use?
Problem Diary – complete the problem diary over the next 7 days. Reflect on your initial responses to the problem and how you dealt with it.
| Describe the problem- what happened? | My thoughts about the problem? | My feelings about the problem? | What did I do? | Which approach is this? Avoidant, Emotional, or Problem Solving? | What was the outcome? How did I feel afterwards? |
- Which approach did you use most – avoidant, emotional or problem solving?
- Which was most effective?
Sometimes things can get in the way of solving problems. We can think of these as obstacles that we need to overcome.
