Pressure and stress leads directly to muddled thinking. It doesn't matter how cool you are, or how clever. When the balloon goes up, we are all liable to react without thinking properly. And that's when we make mistakes.
Cool thinking under pressure is very, very difficult. One thing that helps is that if you go through the same trouble over and over again, you get better at dealing with it.
Sounds totally sucky, right? But this is why training for doctors, emergency services, police, military and other people who work in hugely stressful situations consists of endless drilling.
Drilling exercises are designed to help people react automatically in ways that are most likely to produce good results no matter what is going on. So a fireman who sees a fire won't be brave and rush right in, but she will check her gear, and go in only when she's fully prepared.
If you don't happen to be rushing into flame and gunfire but feel as if your office or home is running along the same lines, here are some coping tips.
- Accept and embrace the pressure. It's a sign of being alive.
- Are you being accused of something? Breathe. Then reflect honestly and see where you are accountable.
- Don't let pressure and other people yapping distract you from your goals. Figure out what matters, what needs to be done, and do it.
- Learn to fight your inner personal demon giving you the negative self-talk.
- Feeling is great but logic brings balance and thoughtful, effective solutions.
- Consult with those who have faced and dealt with similar problems successfully.
- No pain, no gain. Remember, you're learning.
- If a certain 'fix' makes you feel dirty, it's the wrong solution.
And, you can always consult with me. ♥♡♥(ꈍᴗꈍ)ε｀*)♥♡♥
