Take a Deep Breath: What To Do When Staying Calm Feels Impossible
Work can be a stressful place. Nearly anyone in the workforce can attest to this, and all jobs have highly stressful moments. Managing that kind of stress comes with time, and it’s also critically important. You probably aren’t able to de-stress at work the same way you can de-stress on your own time, so it’s important to know how to do so on the job.
In her article, Taylor Tobin draws inspiration from a NASA Flight Director on how to manage stressful situations in the moment, while remaining effective and professional. So, take a deep breath and read on!
- Focus on the task, not the emotions: Focusing on the negative emotions that come along with stress will only distract you, and make it harder for you to manage the situation you’re in. It’s also important here to focus on the facts of the situation, and not the what-ifs. What-ifs distract from handling the problem with the hard facts you have on hand.
- Get the info you need and ask the right questions: It’s important to get as much information as possible when working to solve a problem, but it’s also important to filter out the unnecessary things. Make sure you’re asking the questions for what you need to know. Getting bogged down by the less important and often emotional extras will help you problem solve faster and more efficiently.
To sum things up, do your best to remove your emotions from the situation, and know what facts to focus on. With these in practice, you’ll be less distracted and more analytical in your approach, leading to better problem solving and an improved outcome.
Photo by bruce mars from Pexels
Recent Posts
Feel Good Friday: Balance
Happy Friday! We’re excited to close out the week with a consideration of the various ways in which you can strive to find balance in order to contribute to a greater sense of equilibrium both in your professional environment and beyond. As it’s Friday, you might be...
Finding Your Own Best Work-Life Balance
As the end of the work week draws near, today we’re continuing our theme of the week, Balance, by exploring even more approaches to establishing and maintaining the right work-life balance for you. Just as each person has their own unique set of professional...
Wednesday Wellness: Balance
Happy Hump Day! You’ve made it to the week’s midpoint--aka a perfect time to consider ways to best achieve a professional sense of balance. Achieving that balance is something that takes practice rather than occurring overnight. If you find yourself stumbling along...
Achieving Your Best Work Life Balance
Continuing this week’s focus on balance, today we’re looking at ways to best achieve a healthy work life balance. This tips tackle approaches that address both the “work” and “life” components of this concept, helping you to find your footing both in the workplace and...
Monday Mood Booster: Balance
Welcome back! This week we’re focusing on maintaining balance in your workplace and beyond, bringing the sense of rest and the recharging you did over the weekend into your professional environment and spreading that sense of balance out all the way through the rest...
Feel Good Friday: Pause
Happy Friday! You’ve made it to the end of the week again and can soon lean into the peaceful pause the weekend offers. Let yourself enjoy it! While we’ve reached the week’s end, we’re also at the month’s mid-point--and there’s no better time to press pause and...
Helping Yourself and Others During Downtime
It can be easy to feel down and disconnected during this time of uncertainty. And especially during this week of April showers! While there’s still a light at the end of the tunnel shining, we know that you may be feeling like you’ve had to put your life on hold. But...
Wednesday Wellness: Pause
You’re halfway through the workweek. What better time is there than to pause and think about both where you’re going and where you’ve been? There will inevitably be lulls during your workday--take these as opportunities to breathe before plunging back into your tasks....
Making the Most of Slower Times at Work
Continuing our theme this week of making sure to implement variety in your professional routine by hitting the pause button from time to time instead of always proceeding full steam ahead, today we’ll be examining ways to make the most out of slower times in your...
Monday Mood Booster: Pause
Welcome back! We hope you had a wonderful and restorative weekend. Our focus lately has been on ways to keep moving forward. And while you’ll want to make sure you’re maintaining a positive trajectory, it’s also important to take time to slow down: to hit the pause...
Feel Good Friday: Weathering the Storm
Congratulations! You’ve pushed through the maelstrom of everything your professional environment may have thrown your way and made it to the end of the week. And that is truly something to celebrate! We’re excited to see you back here. And want to give you one last...
Boost Your Workplace Energy Through Movement
Today we’re continuing our focus on developing holistic ways to keep going in any professional environment, no matter the figurative or literal weather conditions you encounter along the way. Both your mind and your body are part of the workplace equation! And it’s...
Wednesday Wellness: Weathering the Storm
Happy Wednesday! You’ve made it the midpoint of the week--the eye of the storm, to continue our metaphor. Take today to remember and appreciate the calm you can find in the world, to steady yourself and get ready for the rest of the week’s figurative strong winds. No...
Give Yourself Energy Boosts in Any Professional Environment
As we continue to navigate storms both literal and figurative, it’s important to keep your body and mind in tip-top shape, whether you’re working from home or onsite. Taking this holistic approach will help you persevere through any circumstances you encounter in any...