3 Easy Ways to Manage Emotion and Stress
How often are you getting emotionally tense at work?
Discussions, disagreements, negotiations, and even more straightforward tasks like running a budget presentation can get our minds and bodies out of control. Stress is an overaction to a simple problem; it is a response created by us based on how our minds perceive a particular situation or event.
Without going too much into scientific details, I always like to explain it using the definition of Daniel Goleman and Amigdala Hijack. They define it as a personal, emotional response that is immediate, overwhelming, and out of measure with the actual stimulus because it has triggered a much more significant emotional threat. In practical terms, it means that naturally, our minds and bodies are not very good at discerning the issue of not getting your budget approved and a life threat like being chased down by a lion.
The perception of threat activates the sympathetic nervous system and triggers an acute stress response that prepares the body to fight or flee. Suddenly our heart rate and breathing rate spike, muscles tighten, the blood in the body moves away from the organs, and you’re likely to feel uncomfortable. After the threat is gone, it takes between 20 to 60 minutes for the body to return to its pre-arousal levels. Understanding the body’s natural fight-or-flight response is one way to help cope with such situations.
Here are a few things you can do to calm down and relax your body when you notice that you are becoming tense:
1. Focus on your breath:
Take mindful breaths and focus your attention on your breath, the inhale, and exhale. You can do this while standing or sitting or even lying in a comfortable position. Your eyes may be open or closed. Inhale deeply through your nostrils (4 seconds), hold your breath (3 seconds), and a long exhale through your mouth (4 seconds). Or you can observe each breath without trying to adjust it; it helps if you focus on the rise and fall of your chest or the sensation through your nostrils.
2. Focus on your body:
Focus on your body and try to visualize its shape and think of its weights. Sense the connection between you have with your upper body and legs; feel your legs connected to the floor. While doing this, breathe and let go of your negative thoughts and fears.
3. Take a break:
When you feel your emotions getting out of control, take a break, and go for a short walk. Get yourself a cup of tea or a glass of water. It is an easy and practical way to step out of a tense moment and recollect your thoughts and emotions.
There are other ways you can learn how to tame your mind and manage your emotions. We are all different, and it will be up to you to find one that suits you best.
In the end, the important takeaway here is that it is entirely counterproductive to engage in any situation when we are hostage to destructive emotions like fear or anger.
To learn more methods on managing stress and controlling your emotions, purchase my book “The Mindful Leader – The Sound of Business.”
Written by: Federico Foli
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