If nothing ever changed, there’d be no butterflies. ~Author Unknown

Planners love checklists, maps, schedules and itineraries set in stone. But, what happens when those fine tuned plans get turned upside down? Life suddenly becomes messy. Frustration over minor change throws a monkey wrench into happily skipping through the day for those who have a hard time going with the flow.

In social media management and marketing, certain strategies are outlined for each client. However, sometimes they just don’t work out. That’s the time when it’s a challenge to find a new direction.

While small things, like a change in meeting time, may seem minor to most, the impact to a planner becomes cause for anxiety or panic, upsetting the well laid strategies and shifting the focus to recovery mode.

If you find your plans have taken a spiral, here are a few ways to overcome the feeling that all is lost, and how to recover and carry on.

Let it all out

Throw a hissy fit if you have to, but make sure it’s temporary and doesn’t keep you from recovering your focus and getting back on track. Give yourself permission to have negative feelings of anger and frustration. Vent until you get the frustration out of your system, then STOP.

This is not the time to post your feelings on social media platforms, keep them private and to yourself. Negative posting is a negative reflection on an individual or a brand, something that should not be public.

If you allow a private time limit to complain, feel sorry for yourself, and express feelings, it will make it easier to deal with the changes. The negativity will not be talking in your head as you set out to re-charge your projected goals.

Create a new, smarter plan

Self talk will play an important part in resetting the focus. Now that you’re rid of the negative self talk, forge ahead with positivity. Think of your new plan as better than the old plan, talk yourself into it if you have to.

Working with social media marketing, when the old direction is going nowhere managers look towards devising new, better systems for the clients as needed revisiting some of the weak points of the old plan in order to create a sense of strength moving forward.

Leave room for the unexpected, and expect it to happen.

Accept what is not in your control

Certain points of the plan may include things that are out of your personal control. Accept the fact that you can never control every aspect of your objectives. Be able to recognize these points and let them play out as they will, accepting the reality that their consequences may be in the hands of someone else.

Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are constantly changing, offering different features, and deleting others. Client strategies are subsequently modified to best take advantage of new features that are relative.

Don’t micro plan your project, leave room for change to occur, accept it and flow with it in a positive energy.

Feel good about what you can control

In order to formulate productively, recognize all the elements of your plan that you can control. Find the solutions beforehand as you’re going through the creation process and when a change occurs you’ll already be in control of it.

Working with clients and their social media strategies, it’s best to communicate and allow everyone involved to see where change has occurred and how it to meet them together.

Take control of your reactions to anticipated changes within your new plan. It’s your choice to handle the change calmly, or to react with negativity and frustration. You are in control, take it and make better choices.

One step at a time

Try not to always focus on the big picture and how this project may impact your future. Break goals down into manageable chunks, focus on one at a time until you reach the end of the outline. Make your plans according to what you’re comfortable with, but not overwhelming yourself with the total impact.

If you take a step back, realize a plan is not set in concrete, and accomplish each point one at a time, you’ll quickly be able to look back at what’s completed and feel good about it.

Plans can never predict the future

Plans have all gone awry from time to time, but by learning that planning is only a temporary guideline used to create direction and goals, you shouldn’t depend exclusively on them to move forward.

It’s good to be prepared as a coping mechanism when changes occur, and knowing that you will face bumps along the way, moving forward with a positive outlook will accomplish more than fear of change.

You must welcome change as the rule but not as your ruler. ~Denis Waitley

For information about how to best increase your potential by using social media marketing and management, contact us for a complete assessment. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms!