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How To Stay Calm Under Pressure - Mindful
Establish a pre-performance routine
Whether it’s taking a few deep breaths, doing some light stretching, or having a quick phone call with someone you trust, spending your last few minutes doing something active before a big event will prevent you from spiraling into worry, so you can perform confidently.
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SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
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Key Ideas
Visualize the destination
Take a moment to visualize the calm after the storm: the work is done and done well, and you’re celebrating with your team.
Positive visualization can alleviate pressure and help...
Motivate yourself with a reward
People who know their hard work will be tangibly rewarded tend to perform better than those who don’t.
Whether it’s a vacation, something you’ve been wanting to buy, or dinner at your favorite restaurant, pick a reward that will keep you going and pretend it’s already yours.
Focus on your actions
Craft a routine or system for getting the work done. Focus on your daily actions and carry out your plan with discipline and determination.
A routine can help prevent panic and distraction, allowing you to focus on the task at hand.
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Key Ideas
High-pressure moments as a (fun) challenge
Most people see "pressure situations" as threatening, and that makes them perform even less well.
But, "when you see the ...
One of many opportunities
Is this high-pressure situation a good opportunity? Sure. Is it the only opportunity you will ever have for the rest of your life? Probably not.
Before an interview or a big meeting, give yourself a pep talk: "I will have other interviews" (or presentations or sales calls).
Focus on the task
Instead of worrying about the outcome, worry about the task at hand.
That means developing tunnel vision. When you keep your eye on the task at hand (and only the task at hand), all you can see is the concrete steps necessary to excel.
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Key Ideas
Mind The Limitations Of Your Brain
- Decide important things early in the day, else decision fatigue sets in.
- Have snacks to keep your glucose high, else your brain will respond more strongly to immediate re...
Listen To Your Body
As reaction to panic or stress the body pumps adrenaline, making you breath faster and certain parts of the body feel tight, that makes us prone to often incorrect snap judgments. When having that kind of response, close your eyes, take a few breaths, and take some time to consider your next action.
That buys you time to physically calm down enough to make a more considered choice.
Other Tips For Better Choices
- Be skeptic, meditate, learn from previous mistakes, know what the data and it’s context means, and trust your informed judgment.
- Focus on the quality of information you’re getting, not the quantity.
- Set a time limit for yourself, and ensure you’re not using your decision-making angst as a procrastination device.
- If you see that you prefer familiar and easier choices, ensure they aren’t being reframed to support something you wish was true.
- Crisp, clear decisions may seem like the best kind of decisions, but they may cost you time and extra effort when often the details may not even matter.
- Forcing yourself to choose may lead to you making high-risk decisions and ignoring alternatives.
- Imagine the effort you’re considering was a fantastic success, and then that it was an unequivocal disaster. Then, analyze the reasons for both to find blind spots, dampen excessive optimism, and bridge the gap between short-term and long-term thinking.