5 Simple Steps to Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is not always directly taught, which leaves many people to take an impulsive or mindless approach to solving problems.  Here are a few simple, yet important steps to tackling a problem.

Reflect on your problem-solving approach: How do you approach a problem? Do you tackle it head on? Are you passive or submissive, or do you avoid it altogether? Are you aggressive? The first step in becoming a better problem solver is to reflect on your own problem-solving skills.

Define the problem: It is difficult to solve a problem if you cannot clearly identify what the problem is. You need to dig deep here because the problem may be masked by anger, anxiety, or jealousy, to name a few. The problem can often be found when you ask yourself what you are place emotion here about. Are you angry because your spouse does not listen to you? When your spouse seems to ignore you, do you feel unappreciated, uncared for, or unnoticed?

Brainstorm solutions: Making a list of potential solutions to the problem can be helpful. If you are having communication issues in your relationship what can you do to improve communication? Of course, this begins with knowing what the problem is exactly. So, if you feel your spouse does not listen to you, what can you do to help the problem? A very important thing to remember here is that you can only fix you. Your solutions should be based on what you can do, or you and your spouse can problem-solve together and identify solutions that you both can apply to the relationship.

Consider the consequences: As you review the solutions, consider what it will look like to implement each of them. You can ask: What could happen if…? Is the outcome something you are okay with?

Take action: Select the most reasonable solution. The solution should be one that is attainable, or you may end up disappointed. You may want to start small and make changes in how you talk to your spouse. Maybe you have identified that you use condescending language, or you rarely ask for his or her input. Take small steps to improve your communication.

The problem-solving steps can be used over and over. While the steps may seem elementary, they give excellent guidance for effectively solving a problem. I recommend writing down a problem you are currently experiencing and use these steps to see if you can come to a reasonable solution.