In this time of hyper-competitiveness and unexpected change time and again, everybody, from a person highest in the hierarchy to a novice, is well introduced to two terms i.e pressure, and stress. Sometimes, these feelings reach such an extent that they take control over us and leave us feeling uncomfortable. So much so that one is unable to execute work.
Let us give you a situation. There is a presentation to be given by two new joiners. They are administered by a single boss. One who has left them in an agitated state. The employees are under extreme pressure of presenting their work. One with the best presentation would be given a few perks. Given this, both the employees are nervous. The day of the presentation comes. Both the employees are about to give their presentation. The first employee is standing with a calm disposition while the other is in a disturbed state, frantically checking if everything is alright.
The time of the presentation comes. The first employee is able to deliver it with full confidence. While the other stutters and fumbles and is not able to present well. Everybody in the conference room can tell that he let his nervousness conquer his day.
We are sure that pretty much all of you can relate to the situation. All of us at some stage or the other come across a time where it seems like our anxious mind is taking control of our sanity. Anxiousness and nervousness are felt by almost everybody but how you deal with it is what makes the difference. There are people who somehow always occur to have everything in control. They are under the same scrutinizing situation but are always able to make the most of the day.
If you are the former, this article is for you. Before we know how to calm those nerves during testing time, it is important to know that what you can control is yourself and not the situation. You will get a ton of employees under the same work ethic but with different responses. It is when you take control of how to respond to a particular situation, you will be able to overcome it successfully.
So here are a few ways you can work on calming yourself during edgy times at work and not let any situation overpower you:
BREATH:
Known as the no. 1 technique to ground your racing mind, deep breathing, is an exercise one should always practice during strenuous times. Deep breathing allows the racing thoughts to take a pause. Oxygenating not only helps your muscles to relax but also enables your mind to stay calm, giving your emotions a much-needed break. Practicing breathwork is something that can be done anywhere. All you need to do is, center your thoughts and concentrate on your breathing. Even a 10 mins session can help you curb the anxious state.
TRAIN YOUR MIND:
Whenever you feel like you are unable to control your mind, tell yourself that it isn’t the mind who controls you, it is you who has the prowess. Take the difficult situations as the training ground for your mind. In stressful times, when you feel like you are losing it, remind yourself that it is you who has to take a stand for yourself and not give up. Tell yourself that everything that you do in tough times is your own choice. Thus giving up to the racing emotions during stressful times or taking charge of yourself is both in your control.
UNWIND:
Identify an activity that helps you calm down in stressful situations. It could be listening to your daily playlist or making a doodle art in your notepad. Instead of letting those stressful thoughts wander, take time out to unwind and calm your mind. Practicing the activities you like in times of pressure, will not just engage your thoughts and distract you but will also help you perform better. So the next time, you are overpowered by anxious thoughts, get past them by practicing what you love.
STAY IN THE PRESENT:
Worry and stress are both terms that are related to the future. They make us think about what may happen in the future and take us away from the present moment. When one deals with the problems by staying in the present moment, he or she is able to concentrate on what can be done at the moment rather than giving in to what might happen in the future. What might happen tomorrow isn’t in our control, but doing our bit today definitely is.
CHALLENGE YOURSELF:
In a given stressful time, there are two things that can happen. You can either let the situation control you or you can take charge and control the situation. Train yourself such that you challenge yourself in difficult times. Challenge yourself to not give in to the tedious times and get past the crippling thoughts that keep you from keeping your best foot forward. Tell yourself aloud that “I can do it” and you are already there.
JOT DOWN THE THOUGHTS
In times when you are demanded to perform to the best of your capacity especially in the tedious times, it becomes difficult to get things done. The demeaning thoughts start taking control of the situation and create a constant loop. One is thus left sitting ideal and has zero productivity. It is in times like this that jotting one’S thoughts down can help majorly. List down your discouraging thoughts and insecurities on a paper. Taking down all the thoughts will help you address them and deal with them too.
and lastly,
KNOW THAT THE FEELING IS TEMPORARY:
whether you are an entrepreneur who didn’t get things done his way, a senior manager who is concerned with managing the team well, or a fresher unable to meet a deadline, know that no situation is here to stay for long. Reminding yourself that the edgy times aren’t forever, gives us a sense of boost and confidence. The tough times will get past soon, so it is better to deal with them to the best of our potential.
