Your daily office life can be stressful and our emotions can get the best of us. There are many stressors in the workplace – unpleasant employees, lost profits, marketing mistakes, and much more. Even the jobs that seem easy have their fair share of stressful situations. Your ability as a leader is not determined by your emotions, but rather how you deal with those emotions. Here are a few coping methods:

1. Take a deep breath. A classic calming technique, deep breathing has many benefits; it relieves tension, elevates your mood, and relaxes your body and mind. It also gives you a chance to ponder what you will do or say before acting out impulsively. In fact, this technique is so effective that Navy SEALs use a variant of it known as box breathing. Simply take a few seconds to breathe in, hold your breath, breathe out, and pause. The oxygen helps clear your head and calm you down.
2. Stop negative thinking. Instead of saying, “This mistake will ruin my whole business,” tell yourself, “I encountered an obstacle that will set my company back, but it is not the end of the world.” Don’t think in absolutes. Think positively and, more importantly, realistically.
3. Write that offensive email. If you are thinking of blowing up on someone through email, write down your response.  However, do not send the email – save it in your drafts instead. Re-read it later and reflect on your anger. Or, you can just delete it and watch your angry thoughts disappear with it.
4. Walk it off. Walking has many great benefits, especially when taking a nice stroll in nature. Rather than getting caught up in the moment, take a break and go for a quick stroll. You will get a chance to clear your head and your body will thank you for the exercise.
5. Talk to someone. Find a close friend or colleague who you can vent to. The best thing to do when overcome with extreme emotions is just to let someone else know how you feel. Thanks to Skype, HipChat, and other applications, it’s become easier than ever to vent to your coworkers.
6. Move on. Sometimes it is best to move to the next point of interest in order to avoid saying something you may regret. Consider the consequences of any little actions. Even being a tiny bit passive aggressive can completely destroy a well-established relationship with a coworker. That has long-term consequences that will make each day even more stressful.

Everyone has their stressful days at work. After working long nights under intense conditions, it’s a little too easy to let it all get to your head. Just keep it cool and calm yourself down. At the end of the day, know that everything will be alright when you finally get to go home and relax.

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