Using your feelings
What negative emotion am I having? (Frustrated? Anxious? Depressed?)

What is happening that is making me feel bad?
What is happening that is making me feel this way?

HINT: you can use the Stress Survey from Wellness Module 2 to help identify the source of the problem.

Make a List
Write out a list of problems that come up again and again.

Look for Opportunities
What are the positive aspects of the problems listed above?

What is going on right now that is unacceptable?
For example: I have too much work to do in a day

What would I like the situation to be?
For example: I would like to have less work to do in a day

What is the obstacle standing between what I would like the situation to be and what the situation is right now?
For example: The boss wants me to do all the work

Describe the problem as a question
For example: How can I get the boss to assign me less work?

For example: my goal is to have less paperwork to do in a day. This goal is realistic and specific. An example of an unrealistic and vague goal might be: "my goal is to be happy at work".

List your goals:

Brainstorm as many different ideas as you can without judging them (be sure to include some wild and silly examples).

Use the questions from the problem-solving module to help you decide which solution is the best for you. You can give each solution a score from 0 to 5 for each question. The solution with the highest score is probably the BEST solution for your problem.

Possible Solution #1:

Will this solution help me reach my goals
and solve my problem? (0=not likely; 5=most likely)
0   1   2   3   4   5

If I choose this solution how good or bad am I likely to feel? (0=the worst; 5=the best)
0   1   2   3   4   5

How much time and effort will this solution require?
(0=the most; 5=the least)
0   1   2   3   4   5

Does this solution have more benefits than
costs if I choose it? (0=mostly costs; 5=mostly benefits)
0   1   2   3   4   5

Possible Solution #2:



Will this solution help me reach my goals
and solve my problem? (0=not likely; 5=most likely)
0   1   2   3   4   5

If I choose this solution how good or bad am I likely to feel? (0=the worst; 5=the best)
0   1   2   3   4   5

How much time and effort will this solution require?
(0=the most; 5=the least)
0   1   2   3   4   5

Does this solution have more benefits than
costs if I choose it? (0=mostly costs; 5=mostly benefits)
0   1   2   3   4   5

Possible Solution #3:



Will this solution help me reach my goals
and solve my problem? (0=not likely; 5=most likely)
0   1   2   3   4   5

If I choose this solution how good or bad am I likely to feel? (0=the worst; 5=the best)
0   1   2   3   4   5

How much time and effort will this solution require?
(0=the most; 5=the least)
0   1   2   3   4   5

Does this solution have more benefits than
costs if I choose it? (0=most ly costs; 5=mostly benefits)
0   1   2   3   4   5

Possible Solution #4:



Will this solution help me reach my goals
and solve my problem? (0=not likely; 5=most likely)
0   1   2   3   4   5

If I choose this solution how good or bad am I likely to feel? (0=the worst; 5=the best)
0   1   2   3   4   5

How much time and effort will this solution require?
(0=the most; 5=the least)
0   1   2   3   4   5

Does this solution have more benefits than
costs if I choose it? (0=mostly costs; 5=mostly benefits)
0   1   2   3   4   5

Plan of action
All the steps you need to do to carry out your solution

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:

Did I solve my problem?

If not, what went wrong?
(See problem-solving module notes for trouble-shooting)