1. Master Your Breathing
When you’re triggered and emotional, you’re often breathing very shallowly, and when you try to take a deep breath, it’s like there’s no way to take in air. If you’re feeling like that, focus on breathing out as hard as you can. Do that, and then your body will naturally take in a big, nice, juicy breath of oxygen. So breathe first, but I will tell you, don’t try to take a deep breath—that will backfire. Go the other way.
Full video: 4 Tips for Managing Your Emotions at Work
2. Create a Safe Venting Space
Vent out some of that built-up energy. You think about where the word “venting” comes from—you know, venting steam to prevent a dangerous explosion. What you want to do is let out some of that steam in a safe and manageable way. That’s exactly what you want to do here. Now, how you vent depends on the kind of person you are. I’m a person who is very much about writing it out, so I’ll open up a blank email with no name in the “to” line, and I’ll just let it rip—write this scorcher, let this scathing email fly with all the things I’m thinking about.
Full video: Dealing With Frustration at Work
3. Focus on One Task at a Time
When we’re worried about a bunch of things, or even thinking about a bunch of things at once—what I call having a “heavy thoughtload“—then we’re more likely to have emotions jumping in. Instead, we want to be clearly focused on one thing at a time: turning off all notifications and shutting every window on our computer that isn’t the one that we’re using. This can help us get into focus and flow, and when you’re in flow, you’re much less likely to have that intrusive thought or that emotional reaction. So compartmentalize.
Full video: How to Be Less Emotional at Work
4. Minimize Digital Distractions
Reducing distractions from your life can help preserve and protect your energy levels. The research on phones and what an energy drain they are is alarming. In fact, one study looked at how having a cell phone near you, even if all notifications are off and it’s turned upside down, still drains a huge amount of energy as your mind attends to that phone. You need your phone to be in a different room if you’re going to benefit from that thing not zapping your energy, even when it’s not on.
Full video: 7 Things That Drain Your Energy
5. Stay Hydrated
I’ve seen stats like “70% of people are dehydrated at any given moment,” and just little sips of water can really make a difference in your energy levels. Our bodies need so much water to function effectively, not to mention what builds up—the toxins in our body—if we’re dehydrated. So try hydrating, and again, that’s something you can do in the middle of a meeting. “I’m just going to grab a drink of water.” Nobody will look at you sideways for grabbing a drink of water.
Full video: How to Boost Your Energy Levels
6. Own Your Accountability
Make sure you end with taking your own accountability. Feeling like you’ve gone from frustration to grown-up action is a really good thing.
Full video: Dealing With Frustration at Work
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