How to Be More Flexible

If you're constantly stressed because things aren't "just so" at work or in your personal life, discover ways to be more flexible to adapt to a variety of people and situations. With a "go with the flow" personality, you'll soon be worrying less and enjoying life more.

Instructions

1. Learn to compromise, even if it means situations won't always end up as you've planned. If you're working as part of a team, for example, learn to sacrifice some of your ideas if someone else suggests an idea that will improve a project or better solve a problem.

2. Forgive yourself for letting small details go in order to take care of the bigger ones. Rather than dwelling on the fact that you didn't wash the car, iron your slacks or fold the laundry, concentrate on the fact that you got to spend an extra hour helping your child with a problem they had at school, for example.

3. Accept a little imperfection. Trying to accomplish everything yourself (from managing projects at work to dusting the house) will drain your energy and reduce the opportunities to relax or spend time with your family. Delegate a few of your tasks even if it means someone doesn't complete them exactly as you envisioned.

4. Be more flexible by sacrificing some of the items on your schedule if something better comes along. Even if you do all of your gardening on Saturday mornings, for example, let the yard go for a week if you have the chance to go to lunch with a long lost friend.

5. Build an "optional" activity into your daily schedule that you can postpone or drop if something else comes along. For example, if your child's carpool falls through and you have to drive the neighborhood kids to school, you'll have the extra time to do it since you padded the time allotted for morning phone calls.