We all have our breaking points where we just can’t take things anymore and still keep going. This is called ‘pressure’ and it can affect us all in different ways — and is often behind why we react the way we do.
You might feel the impact as a sense of drowning in responsibilities, or a dread of deadlines, even as nausea, headaches, depression or a shorter temper.
Fortunately, there are a lot of things we can do to combat that pressure to be a certain way and do things by a certain time and stay calm in the face of it at any point in our lives.
Don’t do the ‘should have, could have, would have’
It’s fine to be self-reflective about what you’ve done – in fact it’s an important part of growing – but don’t let yourself sink into berating yourself for having made the wrong decisions. All you can ever do is make the best decisions for yourself at the time you’re making them – and learn from any mistakes. See them as a teacher, and remove the pressure you put on yourself about them.
Disconnect
You’ll most likely do this at the end of the day, but from time to time, unplug from all technology and just let yourself be alone with your thoughts. Doing this will help you unload all your stress.
You could also do this during your lunch break, and even at the beginning of your day by turning off the radio in the car and not even listening to your music while you commute.
Sleep
Sleep is great. You get to lie in bed, under your warm doona, with your head on your comfortable pillow and your eyes closed… this is when you recharge.
Sleep is absolutely crucial for you to be able to function at the level you need to, in order to keep your brain working, and moving forward in your career.
Find an outlet for your frustrations
This doesn’t have to be a ‘fight club’ scenario, but having an outlet for your frustrations — like running, kickboxing, regular boxing, etc — can be a great way for you to let go of your stress and forget about work for a while.
Furthermore, finding an outlet for your frustrations can also be good for your overall health because you’ll be letting out all of pent up emotions from your day, week and month.
Of course, if you feel the need for that ‘fight club’ outlet, try a punching bag – and pin a piece of paper listing whatever (or whoever) is causing you pressure. Take that, bad boss! And that! And that!
Listen to music that relaxes you
Find something to listen to that completely relaxes you after getting home from work, or even when on your lunch break.
Doing this can help you stay calm under pressure because, during times of stress, you can just close your eyes and hear that song in your head. So whether it’s Mozart or something contemporary, ambient or an ‘80s power ballad, find the perfect tracks to relax to.
Avoid negative people
Avoiding negative people can help you stay calmer under pressure because you won’t be allowing their negativity to influence you.
Negative people can be a drain on your energy and mood – the last things you need when you’re under pressure. Don’t buy into their negativity, and don’t let them influence your views.
Look after yourself
Looking after yourself falls into two main categories. Physically, such as exercising and eating right. And mentally, such as doing puzzles to keep your brain active.
Doing this can help you stay calm under pressure because going for a run or completing some Sudoku puzzles on your lunch break can help you be better for all the obstacles you’ll face during the day — and perform at the level you need to.
Address the most urgent need first
Most of us use ‘to do’ lists in one form or another – whether it’s a digital app or just a notepad by our keyboard – but often we forget to reassess what is on the list. Sometimes priorities can change quickly to force a particular task to the ‘most urgent’ category, and on other occasions some tasks can become less important over time.
Whether it’s personal or professional, assess your list at least daily and reprioritize as necessary. Making sure you take care of the most important things first can be vital to you staying calm under pressure..
Know when to take a breather
Taking a break from time to time to breathe and collect your thoughts can be a great way for you to stay calm under pressure because you will start to think more clearly and logically, rather than thinking with your emotions.
Knowing and recognising when you are overworked and over stressed, can be one of the key factors in dealing with pressure.
