For the vast majority of those that read this blog, you most likely do not know that I have four kids (unless of course you read the about me page, but who does that right?). I know you are thinking, four kids, what were you all thinking. Having them has been a blast, and I could not imagine life without them. But, when one gets sick, they all get sick and let me tell you that a house full of sick kids is no fun. It seems that when it rains, it pours and right now it is pouring in casa de la Kern.

The natural reaction to this situation is to panic, freak out and wonder how in the world are we ever going to get through this (OK, well that is my natural reaction, not my wifes nor is it probably yours either, but stick with me here). That is exactly what you SHOULD NOT do. It is funny how the life lessons you learn in your personal life transcend over into your professional life, and this one is no exception. Things like this happen at work (well not exactly like this, but metaphorically speaking) and it is easy to get frustrated with the situation and go all doom and gloom. This is bad for you, your team, and your boss (after all, he / she will remember this come review time and that is not the kind of thing you want them remembering). Instead of going nuclear and blowing a gasket, rather you should stay cool, calm and collected. Rise up to the challenge and develop a plan of attack to right the situation and get back on track. I know, this all sounds like common sense, but sometimes (err I mean a lot of the times) we cannot see the forest for the trees. When you are neck deep in something and it goes south in a hurry, it is easy to freak out.

Next time you find yourself in this situation, don’t panic (remember, you could be me with 4 sick kids in your house and trust me that is NOT fun) just stay calm as a cucumber and get your barrings and you will pull through. If not, don’t worry, there will always be a next time and you can try again .