Over the years I have mastered this art of keeping calm under pressure .My daily routine of working as a nurse in Emergency department in an organisation like NHS and previous job role as an administrator in an office and the previous roles where I worked as a class co ordinator have helped me in mastering this skill and now in being able to share my insights with you in this post .
Most of us experience this pressure / stress in day to day life either it be reaching work on time ,reaching a deadline at work ,being available for a presentation and organising a client meeting the list never ends .The fear of not being able to complete a task on time or not fulfilling a promise or failing to achieve set targets is the main source of our pressure .
We don’t want to be that underachieving team mate .All of us like to be looked up as a valuable team member that everyone can count upon .But trust me none of the job roles are easy to fulfil without undergoing that stress in most of the situations.
Following are the 7 steps I follow to keep calm under pressure and to effortlessly improve my performance .
1.Start early -A day started peacefully is the day started right rather than the day where you rush to office and you have already had an adrenaline rush .I don’t go half an hour early to shift but prefer to be there 5 to 10 min early than my shift time ( which I have learnt from my work place colleagues )so I can greet my colleagues ,have ample time to plan depending on what I have got for the day.Wake up early and keep all the things you need ready the prior day so that your morning is pleasantly started .
2.Prioritise your tasks -Sometimes your day at work may feel like crap with too many tasks pending from the previous day or previous shift and the only option you are left with is .. to deal with them .In such a scenario prioritising the tasks would always be handy and it avoids duplication of work and saves time too .Definitely there are few tasks which need your best attention and some may not require your complete attention ,so priorities always help .
3.Delegation and asking for help -In the beginning of my career I used to prefer doing all things by my self because I felt asking for help was a sign of weakness ,later as I moved up the ladder I realised it is not always possible to complete all the tasks on your own and delegation of tasks makes your team members feel valuable and involved.And also I have realised that Asking for help does not make you weak in fact not asking for help means so.It is more courageous step and way cooler than keeping it all to yourself and straining your nerves.
4.Deep breathing and Music -When I feel the pressure building up , I just take few deep breaths and have some quiet time with my self .If the day is too busy or if surroundings are noisy,I take a 10-15 minute break ,pick my favourite song ,plug my ear phones and play it loud .This helps me to disconnect and refresh my mind .
6.Unwind,This too shall pass-The only way to play it cool is not to think about it too often and take each day as it comes .Follow your daily routine ,have something to look forward to on your off days .Call your family and friends and speak to them for at least a few minutes in a day .When it is getting too stressful and when you feel low remember that you have a life outside your workplace too and about times when you felt so,and how you overcome it.Feel free to share your thoughts with friends /colleagues (at least with one )at work and ask what they think and what they did when they were in your situation .Sometimes they should have already been there and know better ways to deal with it .
5.One task at a time -There are times when we multitask and we often do this under stress .We think it saves time but it actually affects our productivity and and brings down the quality.I prefer doing one single task at a time and doing it right rather than doing too many things at the same time .
7.Reward yourself and stay positive-Be optimistic about your self and your work challenges .Don’t aim for perfection and Don’t compare yourself to others .Every person’s journey is different and no two individuals are the same Reward yourself when you meet your deadlines .I always treat myself to one favourite takeaway /restaurant in a month or treat yourself to a soothing spa or trip .
Hope these tips would be of help and feel free to share if you have any new ways /ideas to keep calm under pressure .
SVADHYAY 