Strategies in self-control: Tips on creating calm during stressful situations
If you get mad at work, it’s important to recognize your feelings and employ strategies to calm yourself down. It’s a natural emotion to feel angry. But how to handle and express that anger matters. Unless you want to be the coworker no one wants to work with, here are some techniques you can try:
— Deep breathing:
Taking slow, deep breaths can help activate your body’s relaxation response. Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four, hold for a count of four and exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of four. Repeat several times.
— Physical distance: Remove yourself from the situation or environment causing the anger. Even a few minutes away can help you regain composure.
— Count to 10: This classic advice can be surprisingly effective. It forces you to pause and can prevent reactive, impulsive responses.
— Grounding: Ground yourself by engaging your five senses. For example, the “5-4-3-2-1” method involves identifying five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell and one you can taste.
— Visualize a calm place: Close your eyes and imagine where you feel calm, peaceful and happy.
— Progressive muscle relaxation: Tense each muscle group for a few seconds, starting with your toes, working up to your head, and then releasing. This can help you become more aware of physical sensations and reduce tension.
— Avoid aggressive responses:
Avoid yelling, throwing things or getting physical. Such actions can escalate your anger and potentially harm others or yourself.
— Positive thoughts:
Replace negative or exaggerated thoughts with more rational ones. Instead of thinking, “This always happens to me,” try thinking, “This is frustrating, but getting angry won’t help.”