From CEOs to firefighters to fighter-jet pilots, the ability to stay calm in a difficult situation can mean the difference between success and failure. In stressful situations our heads can fill with scary images, words, and stories about the cause and who is to blame for our unwanted pain.
Below are some tips to keep calm in such situations.
- Stop what you’re doing. One of the best ways to calm down if you’re already feeling stressed is to stop interacting with the stressor, if possible.
- Take a conscious breath. Let go of your focus and check back in with your body. Take a deep, conscious breath in, then let it go through your mouth, slowly and calmly, creating a wave of relaxation that starts in your chest and floats out through your being to the surface of your skin.
- Identify the stressor. Zeroing in on what exactly is making you feel stressed out is the first step in overcoming those feelings. Being able to identify the enemy allows you to figure out what its weaknesses are and which of your strengths are most likely to be useful in any given situation
- Get some sleep. Just because you have deadlines to meet and people to impress doesn’t mean that you can sacrifice sleep to get there. Not only will losing sleep damage your health, it will make you generally less effective. A tired mind is one that is not able to think clearly and it is hard to stay calm when you are living in a mental fog.
- Do things to keep your mind diverted. Like plan something or do something or you can play bingo games etc. to keep your mind diverted.
So next time you feel stressed out try these tips and overcome the stress.