Strategies for Managing Stressful Situations at Work

One morning last week, I woke up feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and sad...😫 In the past, those emotions would spiral, affect my productivity for the rest of the day; I would even get more frustrated at myself for feeling those emotions But NOW I have created a mental gym to control my emotions rather than allowing them to control me 🙌 Here are the steps I took which completely shifted my state. Try it out next time this happens to you: 1. Accept that I am feeling these emotions, but detach my identity from the emotion. Ie: I am not a sad person, I am just feeling sadness. - There is a difference, and it will pass. 2. Write down why I began to feel these emotions; what caused it? What upset me? 3. When is the appropriate time to take action on the incident that triggered the emotions? Is there anything I can do to solve it? Put a time block on your calendar indicating when you can take action. 4. Write down 5 things I'm grateful for 5. Physically move my body (Crushed my workout with a killer playlist) 6. Write my long term goals, and visualize myself accomplishing them and feeling the emotions I would experience in this process. By the end of my physical and mental gym routine, I felt inspired, joyful, and motivated to take clear action. This approach has been transformational for me. Instead of getting stuck in negative emotions or ignoring them (making them compound). ➡️ Now, I feel empowered to handle them face on, and they actually give me more insight on how to have a more positive, productive, clear plan moving forward. I'm sharing this because I want you to know you don't have to stay stuck either. We all face challenging experiences, but you can truly turn challenges into strengths. Who else has developed strategies for managing difficult emotions? Comment below, I'd love to hear about your experience and tactics! #EmotionalIntelligence #ProfessionalGrowth #Resilience

7 Ways to Regain Emotional Control at Work: (don’t let others rent space in your head) Too many people give their power away. A rude email, a manager’s tone, or a colleague’s silence—and their whole day is derailed. But emotional control is a skill. One you can build. Here are 7 ways to take your power back at work: (+ 3 bonus tips in the comments 👇) 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁 → Emotions aren’t facts. → A 10-second pause can prevent a 10-hour regret. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅: Practice pausing before replying—especially when triggered. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 → That slight may not be about you. → People’s reactions say more about them than you. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅: Ask “What else could this mean?” to shift perspective. 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 → Most people are focused on themselves. → It’s rarely about you. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅: Assume neutral intent unless proven otherwise. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 → Criticism isn’t an attack. It’s information. → High performers separate feedback from identity. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅: Ask “What can I learn from this?” instead of “Why me?” 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 → Self-awareness is emotional intelligence. → Know what derails you, so you can disarm it. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅: Keep a log of moments when you feel reactive—find patterns. 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 → You are not your thoughts. → Watch emotions like clouds passing—not commands to obey. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅: Use mindfulness or journaling to create space from emotion. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿 → When you know your values, others can’t shake you. → Ground yourself in purpose, not praise. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝘅: Define your non-negotiables—live from the inside out. Protect your peace. Control your emotional thermostat. And don’t hand the remote to someone else. What else would you add? Let me know in the comments below 👇 --- ♻️ Find this helpful? Repost for your network. ➕ Follow Dr Alexander Young for daily insights on productivity, leadership, and AI.

EFFECTIVELY NAVIGATING UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS DISTINGUISHES A MASTER FROM AN AMATEUR. I’m a zen person who’s deeply studied mindfulness, meditation, & philosophy. Which comes in handy as a single mother of 3 & a high performance coach whose high profile clients often get themselves into quite perplexing situations then rely on me to get them out. But last week, I got a phone call that came completely out of left field & spun me a bit at first. Fortunately, I had the high performance strategies to get grounded & process it without allowing it to have a negative impact on my productivity or peace. And it made me want to share these strategies with you, because… Life is full of surprises that can throw you off track. But with the right strategies, you can turn these surprises into opportunities for growth & success. Here are my game changing strategies to help you handle the unexpected with confidence: 🔹 COGNITIVE REAPPRAISAL: Reframe challenges as growth opportunities. Shift your perspective & reduce stress by viewing the unexpected as a chance to improve & evolve. 🔹 MINDFULNESS: Stay grounded & focused. Use techniques like deep breathing & meditation to stay calm no matter what. 🔹 EMOTIONAL REGULATION TECHNIQUES: Manage emotional responses with techniques including deep breathing & progressive muscle relaxation to calm your nervous system & help you think clearly. 🔹 FOCUS ON PROBLEM-SOLVING: Take the emotion out of it. Identify the problem, generate solutions, evaluate options, & implement the best one. 🔹 RESILIENCE BUILDING: Cultivate resilience through self-care, strong connections, & positive thinking. 🔹 PREPARATION & FLEXIBILITY: Prepare for various scenarios, have contingency plans, & stay adaptable. 🔹 GROWTH MINDSET: A growth mindset encourages learning from challenges rather than feeling defeated by them. 🔹 SOCIAL SUPPORT: Use your support network for comfort & advice. Discuss unexpected situations with trusted coaches & colleagues to gain fresh perspectives. 🔹 STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES: Regularly practice stress management through exercise, sleep, & hobbies to maintain well-being. 🔹 POSITIVE SELF-TALK: Replace negativity with affirmations like “I believe in my ability to figure things out” & “I’ve got this” to stay focused on solutions. Integrating these high performance strategies will supercharge your ability to thrive in unexpected situations. And provide you with an incredible opportunity to level up. EFFECTIVELY NAVIGATING UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS DISTINGUISHES A MASTER FROM AN AMATEUR. The question is… ~Which one are you? #motivation #highperformance #success  READY TO MASTER YOUR LIFE? Let’s Talk. DM Me Today for More. 

Ever feel a rush of nerves when making small talk… or total fear before presenting to a room full of colleagues? You’re not alone—and you’re not powerless. We know connection is vital to getting ahead. But, it's not easy for so many people. I've spent 20 years working with top performers in every industry. I’ve seen how fear can show up in any social situation—from quick conversations to high-stakes presentations. But with self-awareness and self-regulation, you can learn to stay grounded and lead with clarity, not anxiety. Here’s how to navigate the spectrum: ✅ Small Talk: Notice the tension in your body. Take a breath. Remind yourself: connection, not perfection, is the goal. Be curious, not clever. ✅Group Conversations: Pause before jumping in. Observe the room. Ask thoughtful questions. Managing your emotions here means listening more than proving. ✅ Team Meetings: Anticipate your triggers—interruptions, disagreement, spotlight moments. Name what you feel internally (“I’m tense”) to loosen its grip. Use calm body language to model poise. ✅ Big Presentations: Reframe nerves as energy. Use positive self-talk: “I’m prepared. I’m ready.” Breathe deeply to calm your nervous system. Imagine your success before you speak. ✅ Emotional intelligence doesn’t mean you don’t feel fear—it means you don’t let fear lead. You know how to manage it. You know how to use fear to your advantage. Your power is in your pause, your breath, and your presence. Own the room by owning you first.

How you respond to stress is directly correlated to your level of success in your career and in life. After countless sleepless days, I found a 5-step formula to help me through it: How you respond to these critical moments will make or break you. I'm sharing the 5-part thought process I go through when my stress levels redline. Feel free to bookmark this if it's helpful: STEP 1) Accept the situation The first step is to accept the reality of the situation you're dealing with. Accepting the situation allows you to RESET YOUR EXPECTATIONS and move forward with a newly defined level of "success" that you can meet. *Breathe STEP 2) Remove the emotion Try to separate your emotions from it. By removing the emotional component, you can approach the problem more rationally and make clearer decisions. *Breathe STEP 3) Analyze objectively Why did this happen? Maybe it's because you failed to get back to them on time, or your competition is just better. Use this "failure" as input to improve! Process the reality of that, then go off and do what you need to do– believing that you will do what it takes. *Breathe STEP 4) Maintain an objective mindset   Your mindset determines how you relate to and deal with adversity. Approach challenges with a long-term optimistic mindset, rather than a negative one. An objective mindset allows you to see the situation clearly, assess the facts, and find an effective solution. *Breathe STEP 5) Avoid reacting from a place of fear I know, you want to respond quickly but you should probably rethink that so you don't make any impulsive decisions that can hurt you or your business. Instead, take a moment to breathe, process the situation, and think through your actions before responding. You'll notice there's one common thread that ties the steps together. You need to breathe. Breathing helps to calm the mind in that moment of fear, uncertainty, doubt, panic, or anxiety. When those things arise, you have to center yourself back to where your heart rate decreases and your mind isn't racing like crazy. ➝ Centering yourself physically allow you to make the best decisions mentally. Think about the last time you felt a visceral response to a nasty email from a customer. You want to retaliate with choice words of your own. But that helps nobody. When you're able to run through the above steps, you might be able to pull some helpful feedback out of that email. And you can move on with your day! You won't need this post until you do, but when you do - please re-read it. Derive confidence from this process. Know that you are capable. Control what you can control. Let go of what you can't. What's your best stress management technique?