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How to Stay Calm and Focused in a Fast-Paced World
We all know that feeling of a hectic day that doesnât slow down. Fortunately, it is possible to stay calm and focused, even when life is running on fast forward. Hereâs howâŠâ
For many people busy has become the norm, with many of us having to work what feels like 24/7 instead of just 9-5. Itâs common to take work home with you and spend weekends catching up.
Dealing with an especially frenetic workday, however, is a feat of its own. Even the most ardent workaholics need a hand to get through a hectic day without succumbing to panic. Our guide tells you what to do to take control, even when your schedule seems out of it.
Assess Your Day
Unexpected stresses can pop up at any time. But a good start to staying calm and focused in the midst of a nightmare day is to look at your entire week in advance.
If you canât do that, block out ten minutes every evening to prepare yourself mentally for the next day.
Letâs say youâve got an early start with a gym session at 6am, followed by back-to-back Zoom meetings and picking up children from school mid-afternoon. Before tackling admin and paperwork before you can kick back and relax (thatâs if you have any time left).
Being able to organize your schedule mentally will allow you to move from one demand to another knowing how much time youâre working with. By assessing whatâs coming, youâll know whether to pre-prepare meals, for example, and how to budget your energy to get through the day.Â
Set Your Intentions
Similar to making a to-do list, setting your intentions for the day ahead can give you structure and a sense of safety when things are hectic. When youâre facing an unusually demanding day, your intention might be as simple as getting through your tasks without getting overwhelmed.
If you have a little time to spare, then consider setting a goal of going for a brisk walk, doing some gentle breathing exercises, or practicing a hobby that leaves you feeling energizedâdrawing, painting or paging through a favorite magazine.
When setting your intention for the day, consider your energy level and mood. If youâre being overambitious, itâs probable that youâll end up disappointing yourself. When youâre already overwhelmed, set an easy goal. This will boost your mood and energy to know that youâve completed at least one task.
See The Bigger Picture
On your busiest days it might feel like the world is collapsing around you and somehow, itâs up to you to keep it all together. Itâs easy to get trapped in the belief that if youâre not perfect, youâre a failure.
This is when you need to remind yourself that there is a bigger picture, and you arenât the one responsible for all of it. One technique is to imagine how youâll feel about today in a week, a month, a year, or even five or ten years.
That nagging worry about a meeting or deadlineâthis time next year will your worry have been worth it?
Another slightly imaginative trick is to picture yourself in the context of your suburb, then your city, country, and the world. If that doesnât put things into perspective, look up the size of Earth compared to the Milky Way, and the Milky Way to the rest of the universe. This doesnât mean that youâre so tiny that nothing matters, but it can show you how all-consuming stress is just one miniscule part of existence, not an unstoppable force.
Eat And Drink Wisely
Our eating habits are often influenced by the situations weâre facing or the circumstances we find ourselves in. Being hungry or dehydrated is a sure-fire way to end up stressed and depressed. When youâre under pressure, itâs easy to ignore your bodyâs hunger and thirst signals, which compounds the strain youâre already feeling.
Eat smartly and often. Reasonable-sized meals and small snacks throughout the day will keep you more alert and reduce mood swings (no more getting âhangryâ). Drink before youâre thirsty, and preferably stick to water, not sugar-laden soda or juice.
Limit Distractions
Although distractions like social media might provide you immediate relief from stress, they arenât at all helpful in dealing with the tasks youâre facing. Every time you procrastinate for a few minutes, you leave yourself with more pressure.
Before long, your day gets eaten away without you even noticing. Suddenly itâs 5pm and you still havenât finished the most important bit of paperwork; you take it home and end up working until 10pm.
Some tips to overcome distractions include:
– Put your phone on silent when possible
– Set a time frame for each part of a task
– Create self-made âdeadlinesâ by setting alarms
– When you find yourself getting distracted, take a few deep breaths, you can even give yourself a mini pep talk if necessary.
Communicate
Communication is a hugely undervalued skill. We forget people arenât mind readers. They canât
know what weâre feeling unless we tell them.
If you know your day is going to be especially frenetic, then make use of a support system in
advance. You might need to ask for help from a friend or family member when it comes to personal
commitments, such as doing household chores, childcare, or shopping.
Itâs also perfectly fine to ask for help at work. Delegate if possible and let people know in advance
that youâre under pressure. Just the act of communicating can take a weight off your shoulders.
20-20 Rule
There are many tips and tricks for productivity and most of them are useful to some extent. One of these is the 20-20-20 Rule, which helps to mitigate the negative impact of staring at a screen for a prolonged period and gives you mini breaks to help you focus.
Itâs pretty basic. After 20 minutes of screen time, take 20 seconds and focus your eyes on something at least 20 feet away. This allows your eyes a vital break as well as giving your brain a moment to revive. Getting up and walking around for 20 seconds can work too.
Train Yourself To Make It Through
Everyone has to face an unpleasantly busy day now and then, but thereâs no reason they should break your spirit. By implementing tools like those weâve listed above, you can rest assured that even the most difficult day is manageable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Staying calm helps you think clearly, make better decisions, and manage your emotions effectively. It also reduces anxiety and prevents unnecessary conflicts.
Techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, positive self-talk, and focusing on solutions rather than problems can help maintain calmness.
Practising meditation, developing emotional resilience, and using cognitive reframing techniques can help you remain calm and composed.
Yes, deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows down the heart rate and helps relax the body.
Take a short break, practice grounding exercises, engage in physical activity, or talk to someone you trust to regain perspective.
A calm mind allows better focus, reduces distractions, and helps in problem-solving, ultimately enhancing productivity and efficiency.
Absolutely. When you’re calm, you’re less likely to make impulsive decisions and more likely to think logically and strategically.
Listen actively, take deep breaths before responding, avoid reacting emotionally, and focus on resolving the issue rather than winning the argument.
Yes, a healthy diet rich in omega-3s, magnesium, and herbal teas like chamomile can support relaxation. Regular exercise, quality sleep, and limiting caffeine also help.
Incorporate mindfulness practices, set realistic expectations, avoid overcommitting, and engage in self-care routines that promote mental well-being.
