Relax... We're Not Saving Lives Here

The end of the year seems to be hectic for most businesses, and it can bring on a lot of new stress into our lives; I’m sure you’re aware. People are short with their words, feathers get ruffled, and new grudges form, but it doesn't have to be that way! You have the power to change not only your own thinking, but the thinking of those around you by remaining focused, confident, and most importantly RELAXED.

There are few things that can ruin a day like a hateful email or getting ripped a new one for something you have no control over. Just last week I received one of the nastiest responses to a sales email I've ever gotten, and it was from someone I know nonetheless! It would've been very easy to get upset and go on the warpath “out for blood”, but I figured I would write this post instead. "RELAX... We're Not Saving Lives Here..."

In the next few paragraphs, I want to share a few of the benefits I've found by keeping a "We're Not Saving Lives Here" mentality. Before I dive down into it, however, I want to make a clear distinction between a healthy view of responsibility and a complacent "I don't care" attitude. By saying "We're Not Saving Lives Here," I mean those words exactly- no sarcasm intended. While some professions do require a more "life or death" mentality, most jobs don’t, but in my experience, people forget that way too easily, especially during high pressure times.

I also want to distinguish between positive pressure you put on yourself and the anxiety you feel when your problems seem like they're "life and death." By keeping a clear head and positive mentality, you can bypass most of the anxiety you experience at work and focus on the things that really matter, like closing new business, keeping your employees happy, and satisfying your clients with stellar customer service. When you start getting bogged down by all the small things, they can become completely overwhelming and make you feel like you're barely keeping your head above water- i.e. "saving your own life."

Staying clear on positive pressure vs. anxiety.

Positive pressure that we put on ourselves (or even that others put on us) can be a very helpful and motivating thing, but it can be easily corrupted, especially when the stakes are "high." One thing I like to remind myself when stakes are high is exactly the title of the post "we're not saving lives." By reminding myself of this I’m able to think more logically about what steps I need to take to resolve the situation that I'm confronted with. Is a client unhappy? Instead of getting flustered and going on the offensive when you receive negative news, why not accept the criticism, come to mutually agreeable terms to fix the issue and then move forward? It is much easier to do than stewing over your hurt feelings and lashing out at someone who, more than likely, doesn't deserve your wrath. Even if they do, why not cut them a little slack? I can guarantee you've made mistakes in the past and wish someone had been gracious with you. The way you respond to people when you're upset or stressed shows a lot about your character and what you value. You never know, the person you were gracious with might one day repay the favor when it matters to you.

Clearer decision making.

As I mentioned earlier, it is much easier to make decisions when emotions are taken out of the equation. Now, I'm not naive enough to assume that we can take all the emotion out of our decisions; we’re all human obviously. However, you can always choose to process through your emotions “in secret” and come back to the issue once you've had a chance to calm down a little. Don't misunderstand me and think I'm saying that no emotions are good. In fact, all emotions can be great when used appropriately, even anger! But there are very few times in business where it pays to "get angry." It might be better to save that for the gym or athletic field.

By keeping things in perspective, you’re able to make more proactive decisions instead of reacting in the heat of the moment and potentially doing or saying something that’s detrimental to your team and other business partners. Not only is this better for you today, but it will make you a more respected business person. One of the quickest ways to lose someone’s respect is by flying off the handle for seemingly small reasons.

A less stressed, happier, healthier life.

While stress isn’t the only factor, a lot of the health problems Americans are facing today can be tied to stress: high blood pressure, weight gain, anxiety disorders, and many diseases can flare up during extended periods of negative stress. Not only can stress affect your health, but it most definitely affects your personal and professional relationships. When anxiety is high, you’re more likely to act in ways that aren’t productive or beneficial to yourself or those around you. A lot of people try to medicate those problems and stress away with alcohol and other mood altering substances, but that only masks the problem and can even intensify your anxiety issues because you aren’t dealing with the root of the problem.

By keeping things in perspective you're much more likely to lead a happy, healthy life full of fruitful relationships and career success. If you think about it, what do the most successful do when the pressure is highest? They put their nose to the grindstone and start working toward a solution, shutting out all outside noise that doesn’t contribute to the solution. Complaining and feeling sorry for yourself doesn’t do any good, and it certainly won’t solve your problems. Quite the opposite actually; the more you stress and worry, the worse things get, and it can be a vicious cycle. I myself used to think of every decision as "life or death," but that simply isn't the case. There’s no reason to get worked up about minor issues. Keep cool, accept the problem for what it is, work on a solution, and move forward. It’s easier said than done, but the benefits are unmatched.

Conclusion:

To sum it all up, while some professions require a “life or death” mentality, those careers are few and far between when compared to all the other different career paths you could choose. By keeping things in perspective and staying relaxed even when the pressure it high, you’ll be able to outperform your peers and you’ll most definitely attract positive attention from your superiors.

So here’s to finishing the year strong and not letting stress get the best of us! 

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