Career Manager

< Back
 

Stress management from corporate trainer

Carl Harvey, NLP Master Practitioner and Corporate Trainer.

No matter how well prepared you are, as a lawyer there are going to be times when you feel under some pretty serious stress. Here's a few quick and easy ways to mitigate the negative effects of pressure in the workplace:

Take some deep breaths

It sounds too simple to be true, but taking 30 seconds to slow down and take some long, deep breaths does wonders for the body and mind. Breathe deeply through your belly, so you can feel it moving in and out.Just 30 seconds of this will centre you and give you some perspective. It'll feel really good too.

Focus on the end result

It's easy to get weighed down by what's going on now, and feel pressurised by looming deadlines. After taking a few really deep breaths, try spending a couple of minutes imagining (in as much detail as you can muster) your end goal. See yourself having already accomplished the goal, and feel the emotions you'd experience if the goal was already achieved. This is not only an enjoyable
experience, but it communicates what you want to your unconscious mind, which will help you get there a lot faster than through conscious effort alone.

Break down the goal into little steps

It's easy to become disillusioned by all the countless tasks on your to-do list. After imagining the big picture, put it to one side for a moment... and focus on something you can do now. Start small. As a wise man once said, “The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step”.

Do one little task, then celebrate its accomplishment. Then do another. Celebrate again. Repeat. It's amazing how much we can get done when we break a big goal down into smaller steps. This eliminates procrastination, too.

Imagine past vistories

If you're really feeling a bit overwhelmed, take a couple of minutes to relive past experiences where you have already accomplished a goal under pressure. Again, see the memory through your own eyes, and enjoy the feelings of satisfaction again. By doing so, not only will you immediately feel more capable, but you'll help reactivate the parts of your mind which helped you to cope so well before.

Smile

Finally, put a big grin on your face. Laugh a little. Whilst it may feel like the world is going to end if you don't make your deadline... it won't. Laugh, smile and try to enjoy the process. The more “play” you can incorporate into your work, the better you'll feel. Your work may even be of a higher quality too.

Carl Harvey is an NLP Master Practitioner and Corporate Trainer, helping people to enjoy work more and get better results. Harvey studied Law and NLP and now writes a blog for young people at www.pd-planet.com.