Learning how to stay calm in a crisis is incredibly important and with the current news that we are hearing this is especially relevant. Nobody is able to think rationally when they are flustered, anxious and feeling out of control. Panic creates irrational decisions, poor judgement, anger and negative emotions. Nobody wants help or advice from someone who has these feelings. So how do you stay zen-like when everyone around you is losing their heads?

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Learning to Remain Calm Under Pressure

Learning to stay calm in a crisis is a skill that can be taught. Don’t believe me? Think about all the people who join the forces each year. Many of them are young and impressionable and lack life skills when they first start out. By the time they have finished their training they have learned to stay calm and make great decisions even when they are in hostile situations.

Anyone if they choose can start to change the way they think and behave. By applying some simple strategies it is possible to change your mindset and make big differences to the way that you think and behave.

Crisis Management Skills

Here are just some of the skills that you can apply if you are feeling that things around you are feeling out of control.

Assess the Current Situation

Firstly you need to take a step back and look at the situation that you are facing. What exactly is happening around you and how will it impact you and your family and friends? There is no point in going into a tailspin if the problem is undefined or has not fully presented itself. By assessing the situation you can take the time to work out how quickly you need to respond and start making a plan of action.

Filter the Information

Apply a filter where possible so you can start to address the real situation not hearsay. Don’t listen to other people around you who are highly anxious or panicked. Stop reading social media where people have opinions that are often incorrect or exaggerated. Look to the experts to get calm and helpful advice and apply a filter to anything that seems irrational or unhelpful.

Prioritise Your Tasks

When you have assessed all the information create a priority list to tell you what you need to concentrate on first. Always deal with the most urgent issues first and make your way down the list. In many cases the lesser problems will resolve themselves or not seem too important by the time you get to them.

Create a Plan of Action

Now that you know what the problems are and what needs to be done start creating a plan of action. Think about who will implement each stage of your plan and how long each of those stages should take. Work out how you are going to make your plan work and have a plan b and perhaps a plan c in case things don’t work out the way you want them to.

Learn to be Patient

Learning how to stay calm in a crisis involves patience. Even though you may want everyone to get things done at your speed this isn’t always possible. Recognise that not all people are the same and some people will take longer to get on board or complete tasks. There is no point getting angry at them or frustrated instead support them be voicing encouragement and teaching them the skills they need to improve their response time.

Get Support from a Professional

Sometimes it is difficult to know if you are doing the right thing or reacting in a helpful way. This is where therapy for anxiety and stress reduction can help. I assist all my clients to learn how to stay calm in a crisis by helping them:

• See the bigger picture
• Looking at things from a different perspective
• Remove unhelpful patterns of behaviour
• Learn tools to keep them relaxed and calm
• Create strategies that they can use in the future

One of the first things I give all my clients is my anxiety and stress reduction guided meditation. This allows them to switch off temporarily from the problems around them. By the time the audio is finished, they are usually calmer and much more relaxed and focused on what needs to happen next.

Stick to Routines where Possible

When everything around you seems to be going crazy it can be important to stick to routines to create a sense of normalcy in your life. Get up and go to bed at the same times, exercise if you can as normal, do your work, talk with your friends. Yes, you may have to adapt to some of your existing routines or even create new ones but keep calm and carry on where possible.

Listen to your Body

Learning how to stay calm in a crisis also involves listening to your body and what it needs. Being in crisis mode can deplete your energy levels and impact your sleep. Make sure you take time out to recharge. Try and get a good night’s sleep every night. Eat foods to nourish your body and make sure you can get some exercise to help burn off any excess adrenaline. Never push your body too far otherwise eventually you will go too far and it will stop you from doing anything.

Products to Get Through a Crisis

There are also some great products out there that can help you get through a crisis and help you to stay calm. Here are some of the best I’ve found which can help:

Books to Help You Stay Calm

I love the Calm the F**k Down (A No F*cks Given Guide) by Sarah Knight. This is the perfect book to read in a crisis as it talks about dealing with what you can change and ignoring what you can’t.

Alternatively what about the Calm: Calm the Mind. Change the World book by Michael Acton Smith. Learn some creative methods to create feelings of calm even when the world around you is going crazy.

The Calm Colouring Book is great for adults. Not only can colouring help you to relax and switch off it can also occupy your time. As a large number of people are likely to enter self-isolation at the moment this will at least give you something to do.

Natural Anxiety Supplements

Kalms Day Herbal 200 Tablets have been specially designed to help you stay relaxed in a crisis. Probably just the thing we all need at this crazy moment in history.

Alternatively what about some Hemp Oil Drops CO2 Extract for Stress, Pain & Anxiety Relief? These also say they promote a healthy immune system which is what everyone needs with the current situation regarding Coronavirus.

RESCUE Remedy Spray by Bach flower remedies is something that people have used for years to help them through times of stress. This is a great product as it is so portable and can be simply sprayed into your mouth.

Anxiety & Stress Management Programs

Learning how to stay calm in a crisis can be easy when you take things slowly and follow my tips and strategies. If you feel you need a little extra help then no problem just contact me to learn details about my stress and anxiety management sessions. These can be held at my clinics or online worldwide so even if you can’t leave the house you can still get the help you need. Just fill out the contact form below and I’ll be in touch.

You May Also Want to Read:

Coronavirus Anxiety and Fear Management

The Coronavirus Crisis – How to Manage your Mental Health

Weighted Blanket for Anxiety

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