If you find yourself with a problem that is consuming your focus, try lacing up those shoes and heading out for a run. It’s like free therapy while running. We will share our experience with solving problems while running. We hope the creativity sparks an idea!
Focus to Solve the Problem
I have been running for over a decade, and commonly find that running its a great way to solve problems. I talk about it here too. The problems are countless, but most recently I was thinking through a conflict I had at work. I was leading a project that was not going well. My project sponsor blamed my approach, which made me think it was my fault. In the grand scheme of things, this was not a big issue, but at the time it was something that I couldn’t stop thinking about.
I decide to go out for a run. This was a larger problem at the time, so I decide to take an extended run. One of the first things I tried to do was wrestle through the problem. The great thing about running is when you go out solo, it’s usually only you and your thoughts.
I thought about his feedback, how I felt, and all of the situations leading up to this meeting. I asked myself why this project failed, why the approach didn’t work, and why the team didn’t buy into the approach. It wasn’t the approach that was the problem, but the way we were communicating the value. The dedicated time was important to help understand the problem.
Use Therapy While Running to Find the Solution
Once I understood the problem, I turned around to head home. Now that I came to grip with the problem, I had to think through solutions. I started thinking through what could solve the problem.
Running gives you dedicated time to think, but also gives the brain energy to come up with new ideas. This article from Vox talks about a boost in creativity during activity. I was able to come up with new ways to solve my problem. It was important to measure and communicate the value and communicate it to different levels of leadership. My plan worked to get the project back on track. I hope you give this strategy a try. Finding therapy while running has helped me through some difficult situations! I hope it does for you too!