How to Stay Cool Under Pressure at Work

​You love your job and get along with your co-workers yet at times your schedule can overwhelm, or your boss can turn up the heat. When you’re feeling the pressure at work, panic levels elevate, and it can be easy to get overwhelmed and blow your cool.

As deadlines loom and workloads soar, staying cool, calm, and collected can feel like a near impossible feat. The good news is that with a few tips and tools it is very achievable.

Here we share effective way you can stay cool under pressure so you can fan those flames in the heat of the moment.

1 Prioritise, don’t procrastinate

When you’re drowning in deadlines and a workload with no end in sight, it’s easy to go into freeze mode and not know where to begin. Rather than delaying the inevitable, make the conscious choice to make a start and prioritise your tasks rather than procrastinate.

Before the week starts, write down everything on your plate. Number each one in order of priority. If you’re working on one major project, break it down into manageable steps. Establish a sensible timeline with achievable milestones so that your workload transforms from burden to breeze.

2 Take a step back and plan ahead

When battling along, it can be tempting to throw yourself headlong into tasks without thinking things through. Aside from veering off-course, you may be taking the wrong approach which compounds the pressure even further.

Take a deep breath, step back and detach yourself from whatever you’re doing. Reassess your plan of attack. Have you thought things though properly? Have you got the right tools for the job? What is the most methodical way of carrying out the task? Use your initiative, however, be decisive and plan the right course of action carefully before rushing in.

3 Ensure expectations are aligned

There’s nothing worse than doing a job only for your manager to tell you it’s all wrong or you messed up big-time. So before embarking on a task, it helps to check-in and make sure that you are on the same page about the end game.

What do they want you to prioritise? Is there a certain method, technique, or tool they want you to use? What is the deadline? Are you expected to complete the task solo or as a team? Get set-in-stone confirmation from them about your main responsibilities and expected deadlines.

When you’re 100% clear and confident about how to proceed, it will really help ease that pressure…and keep your boss off your back!

4 Keep your emotions in check

Not blowing your top when you’re under pressure is hard, though nonetheless important. Never reply to a decision or fire back at a co-worker or manager in the heat of the moment.

Be conscious of your triggers so you can anticipate when your emotions will start to flare. Find an outlet for all that pent up energy too, whether going for regular runs, kicking a ball, hanging out with mates, or zoning out on X-Box.

5 Stay focused and in the zone

Keep your end goals in sight and your eye on the ball with an unwavering commitment to keep focused. By staying engaged under pressure, you won’t be pulled in too many directions.

Key to being focused is to avoid distractions. Put the phone away when not needed. Keep co-worker banter to a minimum if it interferes with your tasks. Make sure you’ve got your tools prepped in advanced and take breaks when you need them so you’re mentally on your game and ready to conquer whatever comes your way.

If you are open to new opportunities, contact a recruitment agency like Trojan Recruitment Group and receive advice from the experts in labour-hire, permanent and contract staff.

Sources

https://insideretail.com.au/business/stress-levels-among-aussie-workers-on-the-rise-202101