Making Decisions Under Pressure: How to Stay Calm
In the workplace, it’s common to face situations that require making quick decisions under pressure. Whether it’s tight deadlines, customer demands, or unexpected issues, stress can significantly increase, affecting our ability to make sound decisions. In these moments, staying calm is essential. Stress and anxiety can cloud our judgment, but there are key strategies we can apply to maintain serenity and make more reasoned and effective decisions.
10 Tips that can help you
- Breathe deeply and take a moment
When stress begins to take over, the first thing you should do is breathe deeply. Deep breathing has a direct impact on our nervous system, helping to reduce anxiety and restore clarity to the mind. If possible, take a brief pause, even if it’s only for a few seconds. This small disconnection will allow you to regain focus and make more balanced decisions. - Take a step back and evaluate the situation objectively
Stress can make us react impulsively. If you’re under pressure, take a moment to view the situation from a broader perspective. Ask yourself questions like: What is at stake here? What are the short- and long-term consequences? Detaching yourself emotionally from the situation will allow you to see more clearly and not be swept up by panic or urgency. - Prioritize tasks and set a clear plan
When you’re facing multiple difficult decisions under pressure, everything can seem urgent. The key is to prioritize. Make a quick list of what needs to be addressed first and what can wait. Establishing a clear plan and breaking the problem into more manageable parts can alleviate the feeling of overwhelm and help you make more structured decisions. - Trust your experience and intuition
Often, decisions under pressure do not have clear or immediate answers. In those moments, trusting your experience and intuition can be crucial. If you’ve faced similar situations before, recall how you handled them and what you learned. Intuition, when backed by experience, is a powerful tool for making quick and accurate decisions. - Avoid information overload
In high-pressure situations, the temptation to gather too much information is strong. However, trying to process too much data can create more confusion and anxiety. Instead of seeking more information, trust the facts and key data you have at your disposal. Focus your attention on what’s essential and avoid over-analysis, which can lead to paralysis by analysis. - Keep communication open with your team
If you’re working in a team, maintaining open communication is crucial. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or seek others’ opinions if needed. Often, collaborating with others can provide new perspectives that help you make more informed decisions. Pressure can make us feel alone, but a well-coordinated team can significantly reduce the burden. - Learn to delegate when possible
If you have too many tasks on your plate, it’s important to recognize when to delegate. Delegating effectively allows you to reduce your workload and focus on the key decisions only you can make. When delegating, make sure to give clear instructions and trust your team to do their part. - Maintain a positive and resilient mindset
The attitude you bring to stress plays a crucial role in how you manage decisions under pressure. Instead of viewing pressure as an obstacle, try to see it as an opportunity to test your skills. Maintaining a positive mindset will help you focus on solutions rather than problems, enabling you to make decisions with more confidence. - Learn to accept uncertainty
In some high-pressure situations, you may not have all the information you’d like to make a fully informed decision. Accepting that not everything can be controlled or predicted is part of decision-making. Sometimes, the best decision is the one you can make with the resources you have at the moment, and the ability to act with uncertainty is a valuable skill. - Reflect after making the decision
Once you’ve made a decision under pressure, take some time to reflect on it. What went well? What could you have done differently? Reflecting on your decisions not only helps you learn from the experience but also better prepares you for similar situations in the future.
Making decisions under pressure is a skill that can be learned and improved over time. Staying calm is crucial to prevent stress from clouding your judgment. Through practice and the right approach, even high-pressure moments can turn into opportunities to demonstrate your ability to think clearly and make wise decisions.
