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Steal This EMT’s 3-Word Mantra to Stop Yourself From Freaking Out in Stressful Situations |
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The three words stand for three ultra-simple steps that will help you stay calm in the face of crisis. |
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Photo: Getty Images You think your job is stressful when your supplier bails at the last minute, your website goes down during a peak time, or the third employee in a single shift calls in sick? Then spare a moment to think about EMTs. Their job is to stop the bleeding or bring someone back after a massive heart attack. Lives literally hang in the balance. Which means they’re among the world’s top performers in not freaking out when faced with truly stressful on-the-job situations. What can more desk-bound professionals learn from them? Based on a recent Business Insider interview with first responder Ryan Fields-Spack, quite a lot. In the article he shares a handful of valuable insights he’s learned through his years of experience running into chaotic, high-stakes situations. All are well worth a read. But one three-word mantra struck me as both research-backed and particularly applicable to anybody who finds themselves freaking out at work (or elsewhere) and needs to calm down fast. “First, just breathe.” “ ‘First, just breathe’ is a saying I use to remind myself what to do when my adrenaline rises,” reports Fields-Spack. Which sounds simple enough on first hearing. After all, there is an absolute mountain of science showing that slowing down our breath—particularly extra long exhales, sometimes called a “psychological sigh”—can help us calm down when we’re stressed out. “When we are stressed, we breathe more shallowly and carbon dioxide builds up in our bloodstream, which can make us feel agitated and jittery…. The longer exhale rapidly offloads excess carbon dioxide, providing an immediate sense of increased calm. Additionally, our heart rate declines and oxygen levels go up, contributing to a greater sense of calmness,” explains the University of Wisconsin Madison in an article recommending the technique. But Fields-Spack’s mantra actually packs more insight into these three little words than just the common-sense reminder to slow your breathing when you’re freaking out. Remember your fists and jaw. The first two words of the mantra are a nudge, not a preamble. “First” stands for “fist,” and “just” reminds you of your jaw. In tense and stressful situations, we tend to clench both these body parts. “If you can move your hands, shake out your fists, and move your jaw around, you’ll feel a lot of tension slip away,” says Fields-Spack. Which makes “First, just breathe” not just three words but actually three steps to take when you start to feel adrenaline wash over your body. Step one, open your hands and shake them out. Step two, loosen your jaw and move it around. And finally, consciously slow your breathing, pausing when you’ve fully filled your lungs and then letting out an extra-long exhale. (More details on how to do this here, if you’re interested.) There are plenty of other approaches to breaking your mind out of a whirlwind of stress (such as this and this). But Fields-Spack’s mantra has probably the best information-to-word ratio I’ve yet encountered. Just remember, each of the three words stands for a simple but powerful action that can help keep you from freaking out next time you’re feeling super stressed. Stress is contagious So the stress that you are feeling is easily transmitted to your team and in turn to your customers. What is your customer’s perspective when interacting with your team? Give us a call, we can help. Services
JESSICA STILLMAN AND CARL PHILLIPS |
