A problem that can't be solved right now is called a difficulty. If you can solve it immediately, then it's just a common to-do task.

There are four strategies for dealing with difficulties:

• Break down
• Seek help
• Put aside
• Give up

Break Down

The first strategy is to break down the problem.

It's based on the idea that any problem that seems unsolvable can be broken down into several solvable parts. Difficulty is related to its complexity — the greater the complexity, the harder the problem becomes.

That is to say, any difficulty can be broken down and made easier. Take writing this essay as an example:

• To write an essay about how to deal with difficulties
  • How many strategies? 1-10? 4?
  • To write each strategy in detail
    • What are they exactly?
    • How each strategy works?
    • Any useful tools?
  • What's the introduction and conclusion?
  • ...

When you try to break down a difficulty, you are actually solving it.

Mind maps are very useful for breaking down problems. It's more convenient to do it on computer because you can drag the nodes around as you want. You can find many mapping tools online.

A mind map sample is shown below:

Seek help

The second strategy is to seek help.

Seeking help means inviting others to participate. A difficulty to you may be a piece of cake in another's. There are several outcomes might happen after seeking for help:

• be completely solved
• be partially solved
• be clarified or classified
• be corrected
• no help at all

Except the last one, most of the time, seeking help will help you to move forward to some degree.

With the help of Internet, you don't always need to ask someone. Just type your questions to search engine or AI, and you will get your answers. If you want to write a report, you can find a template online, or let AI process your data.

Put Aside

The third strategy is to put the problem aside temporarily.

Whether you solve it yourself or ask for help, solving a problem always takes time. So, must a problem be solved right away?

You're becoming better, over time. It's a lot easier to ask a teenager to learn a certain subject than a little child. So, why not just put the problem aside for now? Why don't we first do the most important and easiest things?

• can do + main problem (↑ high priority)
• can't do + main problem (- medium priority)
• can do + secondary problem (- medium priority)
• can't do + secondary problem (↓ low priority)

Low priority problems can often be postponed. Perhaps one day, we'll be surprised to find that those once-difficult problems have become easy.

Take notes ℹ: Endless putting aside equals giving up. This strategy is not an excuse.

Give up

The final strategy is to give up.

Everyone is good at different things — there must be something that aren't for you. Just like you can't ask a painter to be like a quantum physicist.

This choice is common. Many students give up the hardest subject (like English) or a hard part of a subject (like geometry in math or the final physics question). This can buy us more time and energy to solve the more likely problems — Do less to do more.

So, why try to do everything? Why being so tired? Giving up is the choice we always have.