“Mistakes and pressure are inevitable; the secret to getting past them is to stay calm” – Travis Bradberry, author of the book Emotional Intelligence
With our ever-changing world, we are faced with many stressful moments where things just don’t go our way; be it traffic jams, meetings, deadlines, exams or just the everyday pile up of tasks. We find ourselves consumed by rush and panic causing negative feelings, errant thoughts, and all-around irritability. Claire Bowen from the deodorant brand, Shower to Shower, says that a deep breath and a good cup of tea are just two ways which she utilises to find her calm among the chaos.
Bowen shares with us her five best tips for staying centred and focused during stressful moments. When you find yourself in a chaotic situation, perhaps trying out the following self-care tips will assist you in staying calm and improving your confidence:
1. Breathe: Demanding and anxious situations can cause our breathing and heart rate to become elevated. The quickest and simplest way to find a sense of stillness is to take a deep breath. Deep, deliberate breathing can trick your brain into believing it is in a calm state, so incorporating a simple breathing exercise will slow down your heart rate. Inhale slowly for five counts, hold for four counts and exhale for five counts - the longer your heart rate is slowed, the calmer you will feel.
2. Be Assertive: When we feel stressed or under pressure, we tend to snap and respond out of anger and frustration. This is when you can acknowledge the stress you are feeling and try to respond assertively. Assertiveness is a learned behaviour which arms you with positive communication skills allowing you to subdue and avoid any knee-jerk responses.
3. Manage your time: Good time management is an essential part of any day as it helps you to be more productive by avoiding poor planning and interruptions. Get started on a priority to-do list each morning, this will give you the ability to have greater control of your day and your tasks ahead, which will essentially make you feel calmer, more confident, and therefore less stressed.
4. Listen to music: Whether you gravitate towards white noise, classical or even a nostalgic power ballad, music can be used as a therapeutic tool to not only reduce stress but can improve overall emotional well-being.
5. Eat well: A healthy and balanced diet can provide much needed energy to cope with stressful situations in many ways, one of them being a boosted level of serotonin while cutting levels of cortisol and adrenaline. One example would be to include high-fibre foods such as oatmeal, nuts, beans, fruits and vegetables to your daily eating plan as these are associated with greater alertness and decreased perceived stress.
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