Regular fans of plans may have noticed our not-so-subtle On Strike blog a fortnight ago, where this Philosopher-in-Residence downed tools in solidarity with the workers who have found themselves in the position where they need to strike due to their pay and conditions this year.

The title probably led you to expect a blog post about striking, not for the author to go on strike themselves. This ties in nicely with this edition’s theme, On Language. I expect you have been in a scenario where you got the wrong end of the stick, or someone else didn’t quite get what you meant. As a languages graduate, this Philosopher-in-Residence is intrigued by words, transparent, opaque and laden meanings and of course, one of Make Me A Plan’s main themes, what makes people tick.

With the clocks changing, this augurs a fug of negativity for many, with the cold, dank, murky associations it brings (both metaphorically and literally, this past week!) It can often become a habit to spring to the negative interpretation of what someone says, or content you read in print or online media. Here are Two Top Tips for countering that gloomy outlook, as best you can.

Be Friendly First

Sounds easy, or cliched, is actually difficult, difficult, lemon difficult (bonus points if you know from where that phrase originates) and a learned skill. This tip entails training yourself to respond positively, a combination of giving people the benefit of the doubt and giving yourself a break from taking umbrage at the way a work email is phrased, or how you thought someone else meant a comment in a personal relationship. Unless someone is plainly being horrible to you, maybe you just have different takes on the way you word things.

Be Reflective Second

Having proclaimed the first tip, we here at the World of Plankind are well aware that not everything is always rosy. That doesn’t mean that ill-judged comments have to be the master of you or get you down. Choose a time that suits you – whether 5 minutes daily, or a bit longer at the end of the week, and reflect actively. This means jotting down any language, comments, interactions where the contents generated a negative feeling in you, and then listing out ideas why this doesn’t matter so much, or how it could be approached differently the next time.

Next fortnight, I’ll be musing On Maybe – maybe you’ll join me, maybe you won’t (sorry – couldn’t resist).

Please get in touch with any particular aspects of this subject you’d like me to write about.

In the meantime,

Happy Planning

PS If you want some other free tips for your business life, check out the Working Well blog – out fortnightly on Wednesdays, courtesy of Make Me A Plan’s Productivity Expert, Penny Le Kelly. Browse the latest edition here:

https://www.makemeaplan.com/news/do-you-sketch-note/