Coping With Emergencies
Courtesy of June Anderson, Breakthrough Coaching, Inc.
Coping can be a challenge when you feel stressed by deadlines, interruptions by family, neighbors, associates or telephone calls from customers demanding immediate attention. During the holiday season additional demands and expectations increase stress. Here are some tips to take care of your self if you feel overwhelmed or are facing an emergency:
- Pray for strength!
- Breathe! Many people who are tense breathe shallowly. Take some deep breaths and relax the tense muscles in your chest. The additional oxygen actually helps your brain better function.
- Gather your thoughts, decide what has to be done first and determine whether this problem needs immediate attention or can wait until you can figure out a strategy to resolve it.
- Take some time out to reflect on your values, what is important in your life, and how your work fits into that ‘picture.’
- Resume normal activities. If this problem can hold a while, get yourself into your normal working mode again so you’re not paralyzed by the problem itself. Often by resuming your regular activities, your brain can start to think of ways to solve this dilemma.
- Leave some ‘space’ in your own daily schedule to meditate, pray, reflect. Yoga and other forms of meditation can help teach you relaxation and calming techniques.
- Keep a sense of humor. Unless it has to do with life or death, you will get through this!
- Feel gratitude. Make a list of ten things you are grateful for.
Remember, like the ‘put your own oxygen mask on’ airplane instructions, in order to be effective with the people and demands in your life, you first must take care of you