WHAT TO DO WHEN A REALLY BAD SITUATION IS OUT OF YOUR CONTROL

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I am choosing to share a really painful story in the hopes it will help you when the tech demons strike or other BIG Stressor. 

I recently had no email service from/to my business and primary address for 12 days and counting? (and worse, being in the midst of an outreach campaign for a new service). What on earth to do? 

These possibilities are not productive:

  • Screaming or crying – but that can remove temporary stress

  • Taking it out on your cat who has a loud, distracting voice

  • Binge watch or binge eat

  • Drinking and other self-destructive habits

I decided not to do any of those things. 

Somewhat better ideas that might be useful in a limited way:

  • Re-send recent emails to people who you think might be trying to reach you and likely are receiving bounce-back emails with error or message that the address doesn’t exist (an undetermined percentage of people I would actually like to be connecting with)

  • Try to sustain a positive mindset that this is not a life-and-death matter and you will live to see the problem fixed

  • Write messages to myself like this one rather than venting to anyone I come in contact with

  • Note: The advice “When in doubt, dance” on my T-shirt is of very little help in these (and similar) situations

  • Take a breather so you don’t stress yourself further, and have blind faith that other, better approaches/tactics will come to mind to try out

Better Ideas that don’t solve the underlying problem but boost your morale and mindset:

  • Go out for a walk, sit in the park

  • Connect with people who bring you positive energy when you interact with them

  • Follow creative instincts

  • Write, if writing is in your productive toolbox

  • Share ideas with others one-on-one or on social media

  • Work on other things that make you feel productive, even if they weren’t a highest priority at the time

Don’t let the situation kill your spirit. Slow down for sanity’s sake, but persevere. Believe this too will pass – eventually – and you will emerge with tremendous gratitude for all who helped you, cheered you on and supported you. 

Epilogue: While my hellish experience was still going on, after 10 days, to preserve my sanity I took a weekend off from tech support calls with advisers from two companies ping-ponging me between them. One of the days I took a joyful day trip by ferry to visit a friend.  

Back the next day, I suggested a 3-way call to connect the advisers from both companies, and on the 12th day after a few more hours and screen sharing, the hellish problem has been almost (not quite) fixed. Some messages and addresses I lost may never be restored, so if you got one of those messages saying that the account does not exist, IT DOES and works now. Please contact me. 

I mostly retained my sanity despite a “fried brain” some days from the stress of severely limited ability to communicate and the tech support calls. Life and work goes on at last. 

Call to Action: Keep in touch – my email works now. I offer my supreme sympathy for you and any tech problems you may have. Reach out to me for emotional (not tech) support through it.