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Some workdays go exactly as planned. Others unravel by 9:15 a.m.

 

A project shifts direction. A meeting raises new questions. A result doesn’t match what you expected. You had a clear plan, and suddenly that plan no longer fits.

 

For women in STEM*, where precision, logic, and careful planning are often part of the job, unexpected changes can feel especially draining. You may be very good at solving problems, yet still feel thrown when the problem itself keeps changing.

 

This is where cognitive flexibility can help. It is the ability to adjust your thinking when circumstances change, consider more than one perspective, and let go of an approach that is no longer working.

 

If you enjoy grounded reflections on creativity, stress, and professional well-being, you can subscribe to The Creative Shift here.

 

Cognitive flexibility does not mean abandoning structure or constantly changing your mind. It means staying open enough to respond to what is actually happening rather than becoming locked into what you expected to happen.

 

*Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

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What Is Cognitive Flexibility?

Cognitive flexibility is your mind’s ability to shift between different ideas, perspectives, or approaches when new information appears.

 

In practical terms, it might look like recognising that the solution you planned is no longer the best one. It might mean listening to a colleague’s interpretation even though it differs from yours. It could mean changing the order of your day when an unexpected priority appears instead of spending the next three hours resenting the interruption.

 

This sounds simple, but it can be difficult when you are under pressure.

 

When stress rises, thinking often narrows. You focus harder on the approach you already know. You may become more certain that there is one correct path, even when evidence is suggesting otherwise.

 

Cognitive flexibility creates a little more room.

 

It helps you notice when an approach has stopped helping and ask a different question.

 

Instead of, How do I make this plan work?

You might ask, What does the situation need now?

That is a subtle shift, but it can change the entire direction of your response.

 

Reflection Question

• Think of a recent situation where you had to change your approach. What helped you move away from your original plan?

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Why Cognitive Flexibility Matters For Emotional Resilience

Cognitive flexibility is often discussed as a thinking skill, but it also has an emotional side.

 

When you become attached to one outcome, interpretation, or plan, any disruption can feel much bigger. The problem is no longer simply, This did not work. It becomes, This should have worked, and now everything is going wrong.

That added layer can intensify frustration.

 

Flexible thinking does not remove disappointment. It helps prevent one difficult moment from becoming the only possible interpretation of what is happening.

 

For example, imagine submitting a proposal that is declined. A rigid thought might be, They clearly do not value my work.

A more flexible response could be, I am disappointed. I also do not yet know everything that influenced this decision.

Both acknowledge reality. One simply leaves more room for information you do not have yet.

 

This kind of flexibility can support emotional resilience because it helps you pause before turning a setback into a permanent conclusion.

 

It can also support creative problem-solving. When the first idea does not work, you are more able to consider another one without treating the change itself as failure.

 

Practical Tip:

When something feels stuck, try asking, What else could be true here?

You do not need to believe every alternative. The goal is simply to remind yourself that the first interpretation is not always the only one.

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Recognising Rigid Thinking Patterns

Rigid thinking often appears when you are tired, stressed, or trying very hard to regain control.

 

It may sound like:

• There is only one way to do this.
• If this plan changes, the whole week is ruined.
• I should already know the answer.
• If I cannot get this right, I have failed.
• There is no point trying another approach.

The words always, never, should, and only can sometimes be clues that your thinking has narrowed.

 

This does not mean every firm decision is rigid. Sometimes there really is a correct procedure, safety requirement, or technical constraint. Flexibility is not about ignoring those realities.

 

The question is whether your thinking still matches the situation in front of you.

 

If the evidence changes, can your interpretation change too?

 

If a plan stops working, can you adjust without treating the change as a personal failure?

 

If someone offers another perspective, can you consider it before deciding whether you agree?

 

Those moments are where cognitive flexibility lives.

 

Reflection Question

• Where does all-or-nothing thinking tend to show up most often for you?

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How Mindfulness Supports Cognitive Flexibility

Mindfulness can help because it creates a small pause between having a thought and automatically acting as though the thought is true.

 

You notice the thought first.

 

That sounds almost too simple, but that pause matters.

 

Imagine you receive an unexpected message saying a project timeline has changed. Your first thought might be, This is going to ruin everything.

Without much space, that thought can quickly become frustration, tension, and a reactive email.

 

Mindfulness gives you a chance to notice:

 

I am having the thought that this is going to ruin everything.

That small change in language creates distance. The thought is still there, but it is no longer the whole reality.

 

From there, you can ask:

• What actually changed?
• What remains the same?
• What information do I still need?
• What options are available now?

Mindfulness does not ask you to suppress frustration. It simply helps you observe it before deciding what to do next.

 

A Simple Pause

When you notice yourself becoming mentally fixed:

1. Stop for a moment.
2. Take three slower breaths.
3. Name the thought that feels most rigid.
4. Ask, What other possibilities exist here?

You may not find the answer immediately. The useful part is making room for one.

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Creativity As A Tool For Cognitive Flexibility

Creative practices naturally invite experimentation.

 

When you draw, collage, write, or work with colour, there is rarely only one correct next move. You make a mark, respond to what is now on the page, adjust, and continue.

 

That process is a small rehearsal for flexible thinking.

 

You learn that a line you did not plan can become part of the piece. A colour you thought would not work may shift the whole composition. An idea can change direction halfway through and still become something meaningful.

 

Creative work also lowers the pressure to arrive at a single immediate answer.

 

That can be helpful if your professional life is full of situations where accuracy and correctness matter. A low-stakes creative practice gives you a place to experiment without consequences.

 

Over time, that can strengthen your comfort with uncertainty.

 

You are practising the idea that something can change without falling apart.

 

Reflection Question

• When was the last time you made something without knowing exactly how it would turn out?

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Creative Activity: Thought Reframe Sketch

This art therapy-inspired exercise can help you take one rigid or repetitive thought and explore a more flexible perspective visually.

 

Materials

• Blank paper or a journal
• Coloured markers, pencils, crayons, or pastels
• A pen or pencil
• Ten to fifteen quiet minutes

Steps

1. Divide the page into two sections.
2. Think of one recurring thought that feels rigid, limiting, or overly absolute.
3. On the left side, write the thought and create a simple image, symbol, or pattern that represents how it feels.
4. Notice the colours, shapes, and amount of space you naturally give it.
5. On the right side, write one alternative perspective that feels realistic rather than artificially positive.
6. Create a second image or pattern that represents this more flexible perspective.
7. Look at both sides and notice what changes between them.
8. At the bottom of the page, write one small action the more flexible perspective makes possible.

Do not worry about making the two sides visually attractive. The goal is to make the shift in perspective visible enough that you can observe it rather than only think about it.

 

If you would like more guided creative practices for stress relief and reflection, you can join the free 5-Day Creative Reset Challenge here.

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What A Flexible Reframe Actually Sounds Like

A reframe does not need to turn something difficult into something wonderful.

 

That often feels false.

 

If you are disappointed, a flexible thought is not, Everything happens for a reason.

It may be, This is disappointing, and I can take some time before deciding what it means.

If a project is delayed, it may be, This affects my plan, but it does not erase the work I have already done.

If you make a mistake, it might be, I missed something. I can correct it without turning this into a judgement about my overall ability.

These kinds of reframes leave room for reality and possibility at the same time.

 

That balance matters.

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Building Flexibility In Daily Life

Cognitive flexibility grows through ordinary moments.

 

You do not need to wait for a major setback.

 

Try changing the order of a familiar routine. Ask someone how she sees a problem before sharing your own interpretation. Brainstorm three possible explanations instead of immediately committing to the first.

 

If you feel resistance when plans change, pause long enough to notice what you are protecting. Is it the plan itself, or the sense of certainty the plan gave you?

 

You can also practise flexibility through creative choices.

 

Use a material you normally avoid. Begin a drawing with your non-dominant hand. Choose a colour you would not normally select. Start without deciding what the finished page should look like.

 

These small experiments let your mind practise adapting in a setting where very little is at stake.

 

And that is often how flexibility becomes easier to access when the stakes are higher.

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When Flexibility Does Not Mean Saying Yes

There is an important distinction here.

 

Being flexible does not mean accepting every change, accommodating every request, or continually adjusting yourself for other people.

 

Sometimes the flexible response is recognising that an old pattern of over-accommodation is no longer working.

 

You may consider several perspectives and still decide that a boundary is necessary.

 

You may understand why a colleague needs help and still not have capacity to take on her task.

 

You may revisit a plan and decide that the original approach is still the best one.

 

Cognitive flexibility is about being willing to consider alternatives. It is not about abandoning your judgement.

 

That matters for high-achieving women who may already be carrying more than enough.

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Reflection And Integration

The most useful part of flexible thinking is noticing when you actually use it.

 

You might keep a brief record of moments when:

• you changed your mind after receiving new information
• you paused before reacting
• you found a second interpretation of a difficult situation
• you adjusted a plan without criticising yourself
• a creative practice helped you see something differently

You do not need a formal journal. A few lines at the end of the week are enough.

 

Reflection Questions

• What situations tend to make my thinking narrow?
• What helps me create enough space to consider another perspective?
• Where does creativity make flexibility easier for me?
• What is one small situation this week where I can practise asking, What else is possible?

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Takeaway: Adaptability Builds Resilience

Cognitive flexibility is not about always finding the right answer.

 

It is about remaining open enough to adjust when the answer changes.

 

For women in STEM, that can be a useful counterbalance to environments where precision, certainty, and expertise matter. Those qualities still matter. Flexibility simply adds another skill. The ability to notice when certainty is helping and when it is keeping you stuck.

 

Mindfulness can help you pause before reacting. Creativity can give you a low-pressure place to experiment with different perspectives.

 

Reflection can help you notice the patterns you want to keep and the ones you are ready to question.

 

You do not need to become endlessly adaptable.

 

Sometimes one small shift is enough.

 

A different question. A second interpretation. A new mark on the page.

 

If you would like more grounded reflections on creativity, work, and well-being, subscribe to The Creative Shift below:

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