Are you able to control your emotions? That’s a key workplace skill, yet it’s not necessarily one that comes easy. In stressful or high-pressure situations, it’s challenging to remain calm, totally in control of yourself. Challenging, but not impossible.
As a Florida motivational speaker, I’ve spoken with a lot of high performers who have shared with me their secrets to emotional control. Let me summarize some of the strategies they’ve provided.
How to Stay Calm in Stressful Situations
Begin each day with gratitude. First and foremost, ground your day in thankfulness. Begin each morning by reflecting on the things you have to be thankful for—creating a positive energy that stays with you throughout the day.
Focus on positives. This isn’t easy to do, but as your mind reels from stress or from disappointment, try to focus on something that’s completely positive—a happy memory, something funny your kids said the other day, a recent family getaway, you name it. Hold that positive thought in your head for a few minutes.
Disconnect. Take some time each day to turn off your phone, look away from your email inbox, and escape from the stresses of your work life—even if it’s just an hour to go jogging or take a short hike.
Take care of yourself. Get those eight hours of sleep each night, preparing body and mind to handle stress with energy and strength. Also avoid overdoing it on caffeine, a stimulant that can heighten your emotional responses to things.
Don’t beat yourself up. Suppress the negative self-talk. If you can’t shake the feeling that you’re the worst, or that you just screw everything up, ask your spouse or a close friend or mentor. Get some perspective. Keep your head on straight!
Don’t Let Emotions Get the Better of You
There’s nothing wrong with emotion, of course. The problem comes when a stressful situation breeds negative emotions, and those emotions spiral out of control. That’s what you must learn to keep in check.
Dr. Rick Goodman CSP is a thought leader in the world of leadership and one of the most sought after conference keynote speakers on leadership, engagement, and business growth in the United States and internationally.
He is the author of the books Living A Championship Life “A Game Plan for Success” and My Team Sucked “10 Rules That Turned Them Into Rock Stars.” He is also the co-author of the book Jamie’s Journey: Travels with My Dad, written with his sixteen-year-old daughter Jamie.
Dr. Rick is famous for helping organizations, corporations, and individuals with systems, strategies, and solutions that encourage engagement, resulting in increased profits and productivity without having the challenges of micromanaging the process. Some of Dr. Rick’s clients include Heineken, AT&T, Boeing, Cavium Networks, IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Franklin Templeton Investments.
You can contact Dr. Rick at www.rickgoodman.com or call 888-267-6098.
