Category: Blog

Today’s coping tip is to make progress on a project or task you have been avoiding

Most of the things I do for work are spent looking in the future. I’m always trying to prep and prepare things ahead of time because the difficulty of getting work done today for tomorrow is hard. Especially creative work.

I’m writing this a week early, because, well, I needed to tackle something. I had been invited to be a part of a Learning Pathway at the Data Community Summit 2022. I knew this, but since I didn’t submit and plan for this, it wasn’t something I was that excited about. I enjoy the topic and talking, but I wouldn’t have picked this overview one.

So I have been procrastinating and delaying working on this, but I realized I needed to get it done. I buckled down and took an afternoon where I worked on the deck, outlining the flow. Then another day to flesh out details and practice a first run through.

Slow progress, but it got me moving.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQL Server Central newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.

Today’s coping tip is to look for the good in people around you today.

I’m working remotely today in New York. I flew up last night to be with my daughter, and it’s my 19th trip of the year. Yes, I spend a lot of time in airports.

Travel has been more of a hassle this year because of staffing and schedules. It has gotten better for me over time, but things still seem to take longer than in 2019.

Many businesses inside airports are busy. Not enough staff and lots of customers. Sometimes not enough supplies. However, I think most people are doing the best they can. I have learned to assume employees are trying to help and think they are making their best effort.

I also find lots of people are understanding and tolerant of delays and supply issues. The process can be annoying, but it seems to me the relatively rare person that isn’t acting “good” overall.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQL Server Central newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.

Today’s coping tip is to remind yourself that things can change for the better.

It can be easy to get upset/sad/depressed/angry/etc. about the way something is in the world. Whether personal to you at home or work, or perhaps with the general state of the world. I know the latter affects a lot of people these days with the crazy way mainstream and social media latch onto certain issues.

I have usually been an optimist, and I believe in the human spirit. I also think I can often influence how things go for me with hard work and effort. I say that because I’ve been able to do that in the past.

It’s a good reminder to me to stop and think about this. I know that my schedule sometimes creates stress and concerns for me, but when I stop and think about the things I’ve learned to do to help cope, the success I’ve had in catching up with work, and the way I have started to more mindfully build a schedule, I know things get better, even when they’re hard.

I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQL Server Central newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.