Do your damn work by yourselves.

It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed in today’s work environment, especially now during the holiday season. Deadlines are approaching, colleagues go on vacation and leave you with extra tasks. Suddenly, the laughter that has gotten you through tough times is gone. When stress reaches its peak, you might think: "Do your damn work by yourselves..." But it’s important to understand what’s happening under the surface and how you can regain control.

The Effects of Stress on Our Experience: Chronic stress narrows our perspective, making it difficult to see solutions and stripping us of our humor and joy. It distances us from the ideal version of ourselves. We become trapped in reactivity, where problems overshadow possibilities. It feels awful, or perhaps we feel nothing at all as we dissociate from our negatively experienced emotions.

What’s really happening is that your autonomic nervous system repeatedly pushes you into fight-or-flight mode. You’ve left your window of tolerance, and you’re neither calm nor grounded. After fight-or-flight during the week comes the breakdown during quieter moments. Recognizing this physiological response is the first step to managing stress.

What helps me: The 3 Cs*

👀 CATCH (Notice Your Reactivity): When you’re outside your window of tolerance, you’re reacting on autopilot. You’re no longer making active decisions, just reacting to your surroundings. Recognizing this reactivity is a crucial first step. When you notice you’re reacting due to negative thoughts or emotions, you’ve already mastered the first C – CATCH.

🤙🏼 CALM (Calm Down): Taking a break and grounding yourself in the moment can work wonders. Try the 3-2-1 technique: 3: Name three things you can see. 2: Name three things you can hear. 1: Name three things you can feel with your hands or feet.

👐🏼 CHOOSE (Choose Your Response): With a clearer mind, you can recognize new options for action. This step allows you to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively.

The 3 Cs enhance your ability for interoception, the awareness of internal body states and emotional sensations. Interoception can help you recognize stress earlier and handle it proactively.

Conclusion: By recognizing your reactivity, returning to the moment, and choosing your actions mindfully, you’ll manage stressful phases more effectively. Important: Building resilience is a continuous process. Even small steps create more balance and thus more joy in life.

Feel free to let me know how it works for you?

*simply very good leadership

#stress #resilience #leadership #selfleadership

Humor is a great way to deal with stress. No humor left? Time to work on your stress level.

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