Stay Strong in Uncertain Times

We’re days away from the Olympics, but with spikes in COVID-19 cases, many are unsure if the rescheduled games should go ahead. With spectators now banned – and Tokyo placed in a state of emergency – organizers, athletes, and fans must continually adapt.

You might be feeling something similar with your work's return to the office. Or maybe you're experiencing constant mini-crises such as IT crashes, absentee team members, or supplier snags. Here are tips to stay calm and make good decisions in uncertain times.

1. Practice mindfulness

Stress and anxiety can build In extended periods of pressure. This can cheat your body into the "fight-or-flight" response. Your muscles tense, heart rate rises, and adrenaline kicks in. You feel anxious and primed to make rash decisions – or freeze and do nothing. To help:

• Try simple breathing exercises proven to ease anxiety and sharpen focus. [1]
• Meditate to feel present and not fret over the future or past mistakes.
• Do yoga or tai-chi  to clear your thoughts and ease tense muscles.

These mindfulness techniques are shown to lower levels of the stress-related hormone ACTH in your body. This eases anxiety now and increases your resilience to future stresses. [2]

2. Plan on the fly

If you’ve anticipated a crisis – through your contingency or risk management planning – look at the procedures you have in place to deal with it.

If you haven’t planned for this eventuality, or it’s an "unknown unknown" that’s dropped on your lap, try the TDODAR model. Airplane pilots use it to solve issues during flights, and it can help you make good decisions under pressure.

• Time. Work out how much time you have to make your decision. This will let you know how long you’ve got to come up with options before you must act.
• Diagnose the issue. Gather resources, people and any information that could help.
• Options. Think about how to resolve the issue in a structured way. Make a list of your options – considering as many as possible.
• Decide. Choose your best option and work out if you're going to proceed. Asking colleagues helps avoid being overconfident or acting too hastily.
• Act or Assign. Break your decision down into separate tasks and allocate each to someone in your team.
• Review. Assess whether things are going as planned, or not. You may have to tweak, change, or stop your plan.

3. Manage your expectations

When things feel out of our control, stress can build and we can feel overwhelmed. The Control Influence Accept (CIA) model can help you to focus on what you can change – and not waste time and energy on the things you can’t.

• Control – ask yourself what you can take charge of. For example, if you're juggling several tasks at once, maybe you could delegate some or extend your deadlines.
• Influence – identify what you can't control, but can influence. Maybe you know someone to turn to for advice or expertise.
• Accept – identify elements you can't control or influence. By understanding your limitations, you can prioritize and make practical decisions.

The CIA model helps you put problems into perspective, ease pressure, and focus your efforts where they have the most impact.

4. Be flexible

When you're agile, you can respond quickly to different needs and adapt to changing circumstances. It's a useful skill to perform under pressure – now and in the future. To become more agile, you can:

• Up- or re-skill to be better equipped for future challenges and more valuable to your organization.
• Think laterally to achieve a goal. If you hit an impasse, avoid the "sunk cost fallacy" and consider alternative routes.
• Communicate openly with colleagues. Talking concerns out loud eases the burden, and asking for help brings alternative perspectives on the situation.
• Delegate and give employees greater autonomy. Do that and your team will respond faster to change.

5. Reflect

Once a period of uncertainty is over, reflect on what happened, and why. You can ask trusted colleagues for feedback on how you handled things – and what you might have done differently. Keeping a journal will help you process your thoughts at the time and log decisions to review later.

Then, use what you’ve learned to plan for future crises. This will outline the procedures, equipment and personnel available to you if another crisis hits.

These tips will help you to de-stress, stay focused, and make better decisions in uncertain times. And you might just find that high-pressure environments are opportunities to learn, develop and be your best.