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Under stress at work? Just remember: Don't believe what you think.
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Take control
Most of us are unable to do our best thinking when we're under stress at work. The problem is, it is often the time when we need to be at our best.
Even though we can't make stress go away, understanding how our brain is wired can help us to make better decisions.
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How our brains process information
Our brains process information in two ways:
- Fast: Our fast brain is highly efficient, and makes decisions automatically by focusing on a few details it finds important, based on past experience.
- Slow: Our slow brain uses control processing to make decisions, and takes into account more information.
Our brains spend most of their time in fast mode. However, we should avoid relying on our fast brain when we are in a new situation or when we are under stress.
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How to counteract your fast brain
- Pay attention: Your brain will default to making fast decisions, not accurate ones.
- Take some deep breaths. It will help you calm your nervous system.
- Be curious. Ask yourself what story you are telling yourself. Then ask if it is true.
With practice, you can learn to control your brain's knee-jerk reactions in distressing situations.
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SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
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Key Ideas
Misunderstanding body language
Contrary to popular belief, body language in the context of public speaking is more than hand and arm gesture.
It means adjusting the way we stand, move and smile to capture and hold the atte...
What puts an audience off
- We indicate that we are feeling threatened when we take a step back or we show any sign of a closed body language.
- Crossing our arms also shows nervousness and it puts our audience in a defensive mode.
- Your end up showing that you feel superior to the rest of the room if you tilt your head backward.
Match your gestures to your message
Match your gestures to your words.
We are visual creatures, and any movement used in the right way in this direction will spark the attention of your audience. Just try not to abuse this rule.
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Language as a tool
The struggle
Some people have a fear of being wrong. They measure success by how few mistakes they make.
Some people know what the language should sound like, where they are at currently, and how far they have to go to get there.
Where to put your focus
Speaking a language is not like those exams that many of us had to take in grade school, where a tiny grammar mistake would lose you marks.
In the real world, small errors don't matter. What matters is to make yourself understood.
Don't focus on yourself or on your own mistakes. Focus on the other person you're talking to and the result you want to get.
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Social compliance and Social proof
Social compliance refers to how we respond to people in authority or to those who have the appearance of competence and expertise.
Social proof refers to how we look for cues a...
We get fooled regularly
People and businesses often use techniques to get us to do what they want. We go for the “buy two, get one free” offer at the drugstore, or buy the advertised special, even when it is not really needed.
While other people are responsible for the scams, the persuasion mostly happens in our minds.
Misdirection
The age-old tactic of misdirection is employed to distract us from the real issue. Companies and governments even implement it: they release bad news on Fridays or before major holidays with the hope that the weekend will distract us from focussing on the issue.