Leadership development is more than a corporate buzzword; it's the cornerstone of building resilient, innovative, and future-ready organizations. Developing leaders is an ongoing process that equips individuals with the skills, mindset, and emotional intelligence needed to inspire and guide teams in a fast-evolving business landscape.
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Creating a “Me” Place
When we are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, it is important that we have a place we can go that is just for us-- a "me" place. Find a spot where you can take a few minutes to think to yourself. You can be yourself in this special place and release any pent-up feelings. Customize your space with things that make you feel special and calm such as music, artwork, candles, etc.
Establish Attainable Goals
Setting goals is always a good practice, and it is especially true when coping with our anxiety. We want to ensure, however, that our goals are not so large and daunting that we don't get started. Focus on goals that you can realistically achieve, and set attainable expectations. Start with small steps, such as changing the way you view a situation or how you react to something. Keep in mind that there are some things you cannot change, but you can change how you react to them.
3-3-3 Rule
When life around you becomes overwhelming, or you feel as though a panic attack is about to happen, it may seem impossible to impeder these feelings. The "3-3-3 Rule" is a helpful mental trick that brings you back to the moment and settles your mind. This practice is a simple way to change your focus by concentrating on sight, sound and touch. First, look at your surroundings and name 3 physical objects that you see. Focus on specific details of these objects. Next, listen to your environment: name 3 sounds that you hear. Finally, focus your attention on your body, and move 3 body parts, such as wiggling your fingers and toes or moving your head to one side.
Talk With Friends and Family
Anxiety can be overwhelming and make us feel like we are alone. Speaking with family and friends about anxieties and how they make us feel is a great way of gaining support and feeling better about our problems. It is better to seek external support from loved ones than internalizing negative feelings that affect our everyday lives. Choose those who will offer support and advice. You may find that someone suffers from the same problem or something very similar.
Get Enough Sleep
We often overlook the benefits of a good night’s sleep. Without sufficient, restful sleep each night, our mind does not have the strength or ability to keep up with our coping strategies.
Eating Well and Exercise
When we eat well, we are fortifying our body to help deal with stress and anxiety. In addition, getting regular exercise helps improve our mental clarity and concentration. Exercise has even been proven to help anxiety over time since it helps us improve focus and our ability to deal with stressful situations that can increase our heart rates.
Breathing Exercises
Your whole body is affected by the way you breathe. Breathing exercises are great coping mechanisms for anxiety as they encourage healthy breathing and breath control. These exercises will send messages to your brain to relax as well as give your organs an oxygen boost. Breathing exercises such as deep breathing or box breathing (https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-box-breathing) are simple and quick techniques that can be done anywhere and at any time.
Acknowledge the Situation
There is a common belief that if we ignore our anxieties, they will go away. It is critical to face the truth and acknowledge the problem. Recognizing that anxieties are present is the first step toward resolving the problem and feeling better. Anxiety will only continue to linger and intensify if it is not addressed.
Physical Symptoms
Anxiety is more than just a feeling; it can be a physical ailment. It does not only affect us emotionally and cause various mental symptoms, but it can also cause a long list of physical symptoms that can harm us. Physical symptoms accompanied by anxiety are often mistaken for some other form of physical illness which can create a dangerous circle of continuous worry over medical concerns. In order to seek proper treatment for anxiety disorders, it is essential to recognize the physical symptoms as well. Common physical symptoms of anxiety disorders include headaches, nausea, increased heart rate, and muscle cramps.
Coping Strategies
Once we have identified what type of anxiety problems we may be facing, we can focus on how to cope with them and keep them from controlling our everyday life. Coping strategies for anxiety are lifestyle changes that are designed to help you take control, and better manage your anxiety. Since anxiety and its symptoms will affect everyone differently, so too will the strategies for coping with anxiety. It is best to find what coping strategies work with you. Luckily, there are many treatments, therapies and self-help strategies available to the public that can be customized to our needs.
Keeping a Journal
Keeping a journal is a constructive way to channel feelings of stress or anxiety into more productive and healthy thoughts. Writing in a journal allows a person to write freely and openly without having fear of being judged or criticized, as it will not be seen by anyone. It is a place to let go of negativity, explore your fears, and manage your stress. Your goals, thoughts, and dreams can also be communicated in your personal diary or journal. When you have a place to keep your thoughts, life can feel a little more manageable.
Power of Positive Thinking
Sometimes our anxieties can get the best of us simply because we let them by welcoming in the negative thoughts they bring with them. But when we engage in positive thinking and use words of encouragement, we can change how our anxieties affect us. Phrases such as “I’m going to faint!” and “I can’t do it!” can negatively affect how we handle a certain situation or problem and can make anxieties worse. To counteract these thoughts, we can focus on calming and soothing positive thoughts that can make us feel better about ourselves and whatever situation we have to face. By putting a stop to thoughts that can lead to anxiety or stress and replacing them with positive and encouraging thoughts, we are conditioning ourselves to permanently adapt our brain to this type of behavior and improving the way we handle difficult situations.
Sample positive thinking phrases:
• “I can do this.”
• “These feelings may be uncomfortable, but they won’t last.”
• “I will not fail and others will see my success.”
• “My anxiety cannot make me lose control.”
Until next time ...
Anxiety is a normal reaction characterized by feelings of fear or apprehension. While it is normal to have some fear or feel out of place at work occasionally, it can become a serious problem when the anxiety becomes unmanageable and keeps you from performing your everyday activities. Anxiety can have a negative impact on your quality of work, work performance, and affect your relationships with colleagues. Identifying your workplace anxiety and learning powerful coping strategies will help you to work with your anxiety rather than against it.
Types of Anxiety
We all react to stressful situations in different ways. It’s a normal biological reaction to experience anxiety or fear when faced with stressful situations, such as taking a test or making a very important decision. However, long-lasting feelings of extreme anxiety that interfere with our daily activities may be indicative of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety cannot be defined as one isolated condition. It has many faces and can have hundreds of symptoms. Before you can begin to understand and identify any type of anxiety, it is important to know the common symptoms and characteristics of various disorders.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most common type of anxiety and is usually defined as a constant state of tension and panic. People who suffer from GAD find it difficult to control their worry most days. Everyday circumstances, such as job security, health, or finances may cause uncontrollable worry, dominating an individual’s thinking. The source of the anxiety may not always be identified, making it difficult to resolve the problem.
Characteristics of GAD include:
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety, also known as social phobia, is a fear of crowds or public situations, feeling it will lead to public scrutiny or embarrassment. Fear can range from simply eating in public to being in a large crowd in a store. At work, people with social anxiety may have trouble socializing or even participating in meetings. Social anxiety affects many individuals, causing them to isolate and feel alone. Although it is difficult to escape these fears, social anxiety symptoms can be managed and responsive to treatment.
Characteristics of social anxiety include:
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent and unexpected attacks of intense anxiety or fear. Panic attacks prohibit the feeling of having control and cause sudden, debilitating symptoms, such as shallow breathing, sweating, increased heart rate, and physical pain. It is natural to have feelings of panic from dangerous or stressful situations. However, with panic disorders, feelings of fear can happen without warning. Identifying panic disorder and recognizing the symptoms associated with it can help individuals to better manage their symptoms and work with the disorder.
Characteristics of panic disorder include:
Phobias
Phobias are common types of anxiety and generally focus on one thing or situation, such as a fear of spiders or a fear of public speaking. People who suffer from certain phobias begin to have an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety when they are faced with their phobia and can usually return to a normal state once the item or situation has been resolved. Generally, these phobias don’t interfere with our everyday lives since we may not actually have to encounter these fears on a regular basis. Nonetheless, phobias that can occur at work, such as a phobia of public speaking or a fear of crowded rooms, should be addressed right away since they can hinder our ability to function normally on the job.
Characteristics of phobias include:
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that involves patterns of unwanted obsessions or fears that may lead you to perform repetitive behaviors. Individuals with OCD will feel the need to perform certain rituals or compulsive acts to relieve feelings of anxiety. With this relief being only temporary, it can cause significant distress to those living with OCD, especially within the workplace.
Characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder include:
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Everyone becomes overwhelmed. It is important, however, not to let your feelings control your actions.
There are steps to take whenever you feel overwhelmed that will make it easier to regain focus.
Regain Focus:
Sleep:
Get enough rest to ensure you can think critically.
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Stop Distractions:
Wasteful Zone
Activities that waste time include checking personal email, looking at social media sites, online videos, and other activities that are not productive. It is important to note that people need to occasionally decompress. When time to relax and regroup is not included in a person’s schedule, more time will be spent in the wasteful zone.
Leaving the wasteful zone:
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There are different methods that allow people to train their attention. While some of the methods may seem counterintuitive to attention management, there are great benefits to practicing them. Visualization may seem like a waste of time that should be focused on work, but it is not. Each person is different, and it is important to find a method or combination of methods that work best for you.
Meditation
There are different types of meditation, but most are used to relax the body and calm or focus the mind. Common meditations include Mantra Meditation, Steady Gaze Meditation, Transcendental Meditation, and Chakra Meditation.
· Mantra Meditation repeats sounds or words.
· Steady Gaze Meditation involves visually focusing on an object.
· Transcendental Meditation is done sitting with eyes closed.
· Chakra Meditation uses focused breathing and mantra to explore the chakras.
Each person needs to discover their personal meditation style. For example, some people find mantras distracting and prefer steady gaze. Transcendental Meditation is the most popular in a business setting. Beginners, regardless of the style they choose, often benefit from guided meditation with an instructor.
Focus Execute
Attention management requires people to focus and execute. Failure is often caused by a fear of success. When the mind focuses on potential negative outcomes, it is impossible to execute a plan well. Rather than focusing on the potential failures, people need to concentrate on the benefits of a successful plan. Remaining positive will allow people to focus on their goals and execute their actions accordingly.
Visualization
Visualization is a habit of creating a mental picture of a goal and believing that it will happen. Successful people in every field use visualization techniques .Visualizing a goal allows the mind to accept it as a concrete possibility rather than a vague wish.
Steps:
· Choose a goal: Visualization needs to be specific. Pick an individual goal to visualize. It is easier to start small.
· Relax: Find a time and place to relax and focus on visualization techniques.
· Visualize: Picture the goal in detail. Visualize it happening in the present.
· Accept: Believe that the goal will be attained. Affirmations are useful tools to bring acceptance.
Until next time ...
