Do you ever have two seemingly unrelated problems you are thinking through how to solve and end up finding a single solution to solve both problems? I love it when that happens! For example I have had a beautiful room divider for years, I love it, but it did not match our new living room décor. I tried to sell it a few times, but I really did not want to give it up. My second “problem” was the decorating dilemma of how to decorate the guest room. I wanted it to be beautiful and inviting. The room divider would not really fit in the guest room…or would it? Actually it makes a perfect statement piece as a headboard. It is stunning. I got to keep my room divider and have an inviting guest room. YAY!
When decorating a room or solving problem, I like to think creatively. Some people say this is “thinking outside the box”. I was not born in a box and my thoughts and I will never fit in one. I just like to dream a big outcome and then work my way back from there. Maybe you are trying to solve the problem of how to feed your family healthier meals or how to always keep your car clean.
Keys to Finding Creative Solutions
Let’s use our messy car example.
1. Now visualize it – find pictures in magazines, car advertisements, on Pinterest of beautifully clean cars. Look at them daily until you resolve the problem. In this case it might give you new car fever, but that is not the objective, so stay on task. If you don’t solve this problem, eventually the new car will have the same issue. Whatever your problem, the key to the solution is to first see the end result you desire. That means having vision — give yourself a real picture of the solution becoming a reality. Start with deciding exactly what you want the desired ending to be. A beautifully clean, detailed car every time you get in or out of the car. So clean you volunteer to drive people places so they can tell you how their car has never looked this good.
2. Define the current situation. You have to know how the problem happened in order to find the possible solutions. Does this sound familiar, floorboard full of empty water bottles, French fries stuck in the cracks of the car seats, dog hair – everywhere, and empty fast food bags and doggy nose prints mixed with sticky fingerprints on the glass? You may be completely ashamed to have the grocery bagger help you put your groceries in the car so you manage two carts and three kids under five to save yourself the embarrassment.
3. Mind-map the problem, cause, possible solutions and the desired ending. You could also list obstacles to the solution. There maybe multiples of any of the categories. I usually do this on paper with a circle in the middle that represents the problem. On another paper the center circle has the end result and the solutions. My handwriting is horrible, so I decided to just make an example chart for you.
4. Decide the best action to take. Which of the possible solutions fits your time, lifestyle, budget and gets you to the best possible end result? Is it a new good habit? Is it a lifestyle change? What will it cost in time or money? Is there a learning curve? Depending on the problem you are trying to solve there maybe some research you need to do before making these decision. There may also be obstacles to overcome, you need to decide if the desired end result is worth overcoming those obstacles. Get input from your spouse and make the decisions together. In fact if it is a problem that affects your family, you should work through all these steps together.
5. Engage yourself and others in the solutions. Decide if you can solve the problem on your own or if you need help. Training the children that you will no longer allow them to eat in your car, means you will have to engage them in the process. Developing the habit of planning meals so you don’t eat on the run will be up to you, but you will need your spouse to help make it a reality. By the way, it also helps resolve part of that other problem of feeding your family healthier meals. Don’t you just love it when one solutions helps resolve more than one problem?
6. Pull the trigger, even if you are not sure if the solution will work, move ahead and risk making the wrong choice. You can always change your mind and do something different later. Maybe you just cannot stick to only using the reusable water bottles, then try one of the other solutions you already mapped.
These steps will help you creatively solve just about any problem. Getting into the habit of following theses steps will help you get results faster and they are some of the same principles needed when working on big projects & goals like redecorating a room in your home, or replacing your car, or becoming healthier.
I’d love to hear how you creatively solve problems around your home and in your life. Please leave a comment below and share your tips!
Blessings,
Lauree
…keep dancing the dream!
P.S. I wonder if this process would work for solving the problem of world peace. It’s worth a shot, right!?!
