Don’t Panic

It goes without saying that when you work 9-5 there are bound to be some stressful days.  Most of my career I have dealt with deadlines and projects that seemed to never end and as a result I have developed a survival technique of sorts – a mantra that always brings me back to center.  Stress is only a negative and destructive force, but unfortunately its very magnetic.  Here are a few tips that help me break that magnetic grip.

1. DON’T PANIC – Panic is never good and it is definitely not constructive.  If you are in a deadline situation, a panic session just kills more of the precious time that you need to get things done.  Even worse, panic is contagious.  That means you’re panic can easily spread to your whole team, which means your whole team is out of commission.
2. NO ONE IS GOING TO DIE – Unless you are a heart surgeon this statement is most likely true for every professional.  Stopping to remember this simple fact usually kicks you out of panic mode and hopefully adds a little humor to the situation.  A quick little laugh is like food for the soul.  It’s powerful stuff.
3. GET BACK TO BASICS – In any job there are a few basics, some guiding principals.  Now is the time to start at step one.  This should totally cure your panic, because panic usually starts when there are no concrete next steps.  This is when we turn the unknown into a plan of action.  I usually have an action list in my notebook all day long, so now this is your chance to create your own action list and start at step one.

I hope these few words are helpful.  I don’t claim that the advice above is a cure all, but these are just a few steps that have helped me through more than a few tough days.