Life Hacks For Keeping Your Cool In Pressure Situations

It's easy to panic when the pressure is on, either at work or at home. While stress is part of modern life, if you constantly find yourself tense and overwhelmed by stressful situations, you may benefit from learning some anxiety management strategies that will help you remain calm.

A pressure-induced state of "flight or fight" can make the body release hormones meant to fight or run from the danger. Currently, stress triggers the release of these hormones, but they're not so helpful if the threat is a presentation at work rather than an animal attacking. When you are feeling anxious or panicked frequently, your fight or flight mode is very likely being triggered too often, and it is helpful to learn how to keep your cool when you find yourself in this situation.

Keeping your cool will allow you to face challenges more effectively, make better decisions, and make you feel better about yourself. Here are some helpful life hacks to help you calm down the next time you're feeling stressed. 

1.   Taking Deep Breaths

Among the most effective ways of reducing anger and anxiety quickly is to breathe. You are likely to breathe more shallowly and more rapidly during stressful situations. A shallow breath places stress on your body, which then leads to even shallower breathing. The brain responds to this by reinforcing the fight-or-flight response. So when you take a deep breath and hold it, you interrupt that cycle and find calm¹. Therefore, if you're taking quick, shallow breaths from your upper chest, try the following steps:

• Take a break from your work, relax, and close your eyes.
• Position your feet firmly on the ground, and place your hands just above the belly button. 
• Slowly breathe in and out with your eyes closed. To inflate your belly, imagine it as a balloon. 
• Take a deep breath in through your nose before exhaling through your mouth. 
• Imagine all of that stress evaporating as you exhale.

You'll feel calmer in a few moments. Make sure to practice these techniques without getting anxious so that you can use them when you are anxious. By breathing slowly and deeply, the body stops releasing stress hormones and begins to relax. Focusing on your breathing can also assist in distracting your mind from whatever is bothering you so that you can focus only on what is happening in the present moment.

2.   Positively Look At Things

The tendency to imagine the worst-case from every situation is called catastrophic thinking. It can cause anxiety and even panic attacks in pressure situations. Try to spend a few moments thinking about the positive aspects rather than dwelling on the negative ones. When things seem too overwhelming, try to think about what you're learning from this situation. Every seemingly negative experience is an opportunity to learn and grow, whether that is through patience, resilience, or a reminder not to overextend yourself.

Optimism does not necessarily equate to focusing on what's good, and that can lead to disappointment. When the situation actually unfolds, focus on the positive aspects and have neutral expectations. Keeping a positive attitude allows your brain to avoid stress and keep your cool. 

3.   Pour Some Lavender Oil On Your Wrists

Lavender oil is believed to calm you for several reasons. Researchers believe lavender stimulates the amygdala (fear center) in the same way that sedatives do. Some theorize that molecules from essential oils interact with hormones and enzymes in the blood. Its relaxing effects are backed by research. Researchers studied the effects of humidified essential lavender oil aromatherapy on 17 cancer hospice patients. The results showed a decrease in pulse and blood pressure and pain, anxiety, and depression. H.E.A.L's Relaxation, Lavender, and other essential oils are 100% pure and perfect for relieving stress under pressure. 

4.   Get Out Into The Fresh Air

Having an angry or anxious mood can be triggered by the temperature or air pressure in a room. When you're tense and in an oppressive space, it can trigger a panic attack. Take a walk outside as soon as you can - even if it's for just a few minutes. You might find that just five minutes in the fresh air and a change of scenery could calm you down and help you gain a fresh perspective on things. 

5.   Let Your Body Relax

Anxiety or anger can make you feel like your entire body is tense (and that's probably true). By resting your muscles in a progressive manner, you can calm yourself down. Follow the steps to relax your body when you are stressed. 

• With your arms by your side, lie down on the floor. 
• Be sure your feet are not crossed, and your hands are not in fists. 
• Begin by releasing your toes. 
• Release every part of your body slowly until you reach the top of your head. 
• To encourage total relaxation, gently touch or massage any part of your body that is under tension. 

6.   Allow Your Thoughts To Wander

The situation at hand overwhelms some people and causes their stress levels to skyrocket. If you're in a pressure situation, it's time to take a break. It would help if you treated this mini-break like a real vacation. When you remove your focus from stressful activities, you'll gain perspective and motivation for returning to them later in a more relaxed state of mind.

Imagine thinking of happy memories or anticipating upcoming events for your mental vacation. There's no need to make the occasion meaningful; something pleasant like enjoying a meal with friends will do². 

7.   Make Sure You Take Care Of Your Body

You need to nourish your body to function properly, regardless of how high the stakes may be. Without proper nourishment and care, your mind and body will start to break down. Eat healthy foods, stay hydrated and sleep enough to allow your body to function optimally. Without taking care of these things under pressure, you'll burn out. 

Turkey sandwiches, rice pudding, milk and oatmeal cookies, and yogurt sprinkled with cereal are some of the relaxing snacks. Drink green tea as well, which contains L-theanine, which has been associated with reducing stress and anxiety. Moreover, relaxing with Doc Harmony's Natural Products can also be beneficial when you are under pressure. 

8.   Write Down Your Tasks For The Day

As our lives become busier, the Internet makes work seem never to end. With the ease with which we can check and respond to emails at home, at mealtimes, or when we are in bed, we no longer feel accomplished at the end of the day.

This can all be highly stressful, so one easy way to combat it is to create a list of things to do and cross items off as you complete them. It shows you how much you've accomplished in real-time, and it gives you back a feeling of control. Make sure you put mini-break and breathe in the middle of your list³.

9.   Put It Down On Paper

If you find yourself too angry or anxious to discuss it, grab a paper and write your feelings down. Just write - don't worry about punctuation or complete sentences. The act of writing allows you to let go of negative thoughts. Making an action plan for staying calm after finishing writing is another step you can take.

10.        Make Gratitude A Habit

Having gratitude for all the things you have in life - no matter how small - keeps things in perspective and helps you to maintain a positive attitude. Researchers have found that daily gratitude journals lower levels of cortisol, the hormone associated with stress. You will feel much better if you take a few minutes to write down five things you're thankful for each day before you go to bed.

11.        Act Kindly To Yourself

We sometimes harm ourselves the most when we put pressure on ourselves. You're human, not a machine. It's OK to make mistakes sometimes. If you're struggling, be compassionate with yourself instead of beating yourself up. It's enough to do your best. Every time you feel out of your depth, keep that in mind constantly. Rather than trying to be perfect, focus on making progress. When things get tough, come up with your own self-compassion mantra. The following are examples: You are doing fine, Don't give up, Keep doing what you're doing, and That's all anybody can ask for.

12.        Find Pressure Points To Reduce Anger And Anxiety

You can relieve anxiety and anger by getting a massage or getting acupuncture. Unfortunately, finding time to do so isn't always easy. It's good to know that acupressure can relieve anxiety instantly. Using your fingers or your hand, apply pressure at various points on your body. The pressure releases the tension and relaxes your body. Starting with where your wrist and hand form a crease is a good place to start. Spend two minutes pressing your thumb against this area. It is a good way to relieve tension⁴.

13.        Getting Enough Sleep Is Important

You feel worse when you don't get enough sleep. As a result of stress and anxiety, insomnia can often arise, and then you feel worse than before because you don't have enough sleep. It's important to prioritize sleep, especially when you're stressed out. Sleep early and keep electronic devices out of your bedroom. You can also get a good night's sleep by using the lavender essential oil and Bodytox Lavender Sleep Patches by H.E.A.L's. 

14.        Validate Your Skills

Stress can sometimes make us forget how strong we are. Furthermore, we ignore our positive actions and skillful decisions. When you're having trouble, remember how you succeeded in the past. Congratulate yourself for your achievements and what you did well at the end of the day. Think about what someone you know and love would say about your character and accomplishments when you're struggling to find positive things to tell about yourself.

15.        Music Heals The Mind, Body, And Soul

Music has been used to express complex ideas in words and heal the mind and body since the earliest days of civilization. Those suffering from depression can benefit from music therapy programs that use creative lyrics and compositions to treat their disorders. Studies have found that classical music reduces stress hormones, slows your pulse, and lowers blood pressure. In addition, music increases dopamine. If you remember your last wild air guitar or air drum solo, such performances probably were not intended for your air audience. Boost the volume if necessary. Stress can be relieved with music⁵.

The Bottom Line

In pressure situations, you can stay calm with some daily practice. If the pressure situations make you feel stressed frequently, you should learn stress-relieving exercises that immediately help you relax. Take deep breaths, rub pressure points, and eat mindfully are some simple tips you can use to train your brain to be more patient in stressful situations. The best way to stay cool whenever you face a stressful situation is to change your perspective and stay positive. Make sure you practice these life hacks under calm conditions so that you'll be able to apply them under pressure. It is recommended to use H.E.A.L's ŐSIMAGNESIUM lotions, butter, flakes, and essential oils for relaxing under stressed situations.