Keeping Calm When Deadlines Loom

Stress? Here’s what actually works. Most "calm down tactics" fail because they're: ↳ Band-aids on deeper issues. ↳ Quick fixes that don't last. ↳ One-size-fits-all solutions. This list? It's not just tips. It's what I live by. Real-world guide to staying calm: (Backed by science, tested in real life) 1/ OVERTHINKING → WRITE ✍️ ↳ Gets your swirling thoughts out of your head. > 43% tamed. ↳ Makes them easier to handle.  ↳ Try this: 10 minutes of unfiltered writing. No editing, just release. 2/ UNINSPIRED → READ 📚 ↳ Gives your brain fresh ideas. ↳ Lets you escape for a bit > 68% stress relief.  ↳ Try this: 15 minutes reading anything non-work. Watch your mood shift. 3/ SCARED → TAKE A SMALL RISK 🎯 ↳ Teaches your brain you can handle discomfort. ↳ Builds confidence with every step. ↳ Try this: Do one tiny scary thing today. That's progress. 4/ STUCK → WALK 🚶 ↳ Boosts blood flow and clears your head. > 15% creativity boost. ↳ Helps new ideas come naturally. ↳ Try this: 10-minute phone-free walk. Let your mind wander. 5/ TIRED → SLEEP 😴 ↳ Exhaustion messes with focus and emotions. ↳ Rest resets your system > 54% alertness improvement.  ↳ Try this: Power nap or early bedtime. 6/ CONFUSED → ASK 💭 ↳ Talking out loud often brings clarity. > 70% clarity.  ↳ You don't have to figure it out alone. ↳ Try this: One clear question beats hours of confusion. 7/ FRUSTRATED → MOVE 💪 ↳ Movement helps release built-up tension. > 25% mood booster.  ↳ Physical action shifts your mood. ↳ Try this: Quick stretch or 10 jumping jacks. Feel the difference. 8/ BURNED OUT → TAKE A DAY OFF 🌳 ↳ Full rest helps your brain and body bounce back. > +60% productivity.  ↳ Time in nature helps even more. ↳ Try this: Schedule a real break. No screens, no guilt. 9/ IMPATIENT → REVIEW PROGRESS 📈 ↳ Looking back reminds you how far you've come. ↳ It helps you stay motivated. ↳ Try this: List 3 recent wins, no matter how small. 10/ UNMOTIVATED → REMEMBER YOUR "WHY" ⭐ ↳ Purpose gives your effort meaning. > +35% perseverance.  ↳ It helps you push through hard moments ↳ Try this: Picture who benefits from your work today. Bonus: These aren't quick fixes. ↳ Your emotions are signals, not problems. ↳ Each response is backed by science. ↳ Calm isn't about feeling better, it's about responding better. Remember: Your emotional state is temporary. Your response to it shapes everything. 💬 Which one resonates most? Share below ⇣ 🔖 Save this for your next tough moment ♻️ Share with someone who needs this today ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC Rosario-Maldonado, PCC, for more science-backed leadership wisdom. 

I’ve faced countless moments of chaos in business: - Lost clients, - Missed deadlines, - Unexpected fires And yet, I rarely let them knock me down. The solution is simple: a personal playbook for pressure. Over the years, I’ve developed a system of habits that keep me calm, clear-headed, and ready to tackle anything. Here are 5 battlefield-tested strategies you can adopt when things get heated: 1: The 5-5-5 Rule → Can I solve this in 5 minutes? → Will this matter in 5 months? → If not, don’t let it consume today’s energy. 2: The Chaos Calendar Block → Set aside 2 hours weekly for “unexpected crises.” → Emergencies don’t derail your focus—they have their time slot. 3: The Voice Note Dump → Record your thoughts and frustrations for 2 minutes. → Revisit them in 24 hours. → Most “problems” shrink once you give them space. 4: The Mentor Board → Build a small network of trusted advisors. → Tap into their perspectives when you feel stuck. → No ego—just actionable solutions. 5: The Physical Reset → High-intensity workouts, cold showers, or meditation. → Reset your body to reset your mind. These strategies are more than hacks, they’re lifelines. The next time pressure builds, don’t react. Reach for your playbook. Because in business, calm isn’t just a mindset, it’s a superpower. P.S. - Which of these strategies will you add to your toolkit? Share in the comments below. And follow me, Lakshay Jain, for conversations around Business and Leadership. #ExecutiveMindset #LeadershipStrategies #ResilienceTraining

A Superpower I’ve Learned as a Program Manager at Amazon When I started as a program manager at Amazon, I thought the best leaders were the loudest in the room—the ones who took charge during chaotic moments. But early on, I worked with a senior program manager who completely changed my perspective. No matter how intense things got—missed deadlines, shifting priorities, or stakeholder pressure—they stayed calm, focused, and polite. They didn’t raise their voice or panic. Instead, they asked thoughtful questions and brought clarity. I’ll never forget one moment during a critical project. Just days before a launch, we hit a major roadblock, and tensions were high. While others scrambled, this person calmly asked, “What’s the most immediate action we can take to unblock progress?” That simple question shifted the energy in the room, and suddenly, we were aligned and focused. At the time, I admired their composure and wondered if I could emulate it. Sometimes I would get caught up in the constant firefighting and stress. Now, I’ve come to see staying calm as a superpower that I’ve worked hard to hone. For me, it’s about: 1️⃣ Pausing Before Reacting: Taking a moment to breathe and ground myself. 2️⃣ Focusing on the Next Step: Asking, “What can we do right now?” instead of getting overwhelmed by everything. 3️⃣ Modeling Composure: Staying polite and composed helps others do the same. I’m forever growing, but I’ve seen how calm leadership can turn chaos into clarity. How do you stay grounded in high-pressure situations? #Leadership #ProgramManagement #Growth #Amazon #StayingCalm

What’s a key element of executive presence that’s hard to do? What trait is invaluable when you and your team are under intense pressure and the clock is ticking?   It’s being CALM.   Keeping your wits about you.   Slowing down in the heat of the moment. To think. To reflect. To respond appropriately.   And that requires remaining calm.   When it may feel like the world is burning around you and the team you lead. And especially because emotions are contagious and people look to their leaders for how to respond.   Being calm is a topic Tom Larsen and I explored last fall in a talk at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.   Tom leads the EMBA Career Strategy & Development Team, and I’m an executive coach for students in the program.   Executive presence is about a feedback loop:   1️⃣ PLANNING: how do you want to show up? 2️⃣ EXECUTION: how are you showing up? 3️⃣ REFLECTION: how did you show up? 4️⃣ IMPROVE: what do you want to change?   Being calm touches on 3 of those items: planning, execution, and reflection.   PLANNING: how will you plan ahead to remain calm? It can be as simple as thinking in advance about situations that are likely to be stressful. How will you remain calm in the moment? You have options: 1. Take a breath before responding. 2. Ask clarifying questions in a calm way. 3. Put a sticky note on your laptop: “All will be okay.” 4. What else could you do to plan in advance to stay calm?   EXECUTION: how are you showing up in the moment? Consciously consider how you will check in with yourself during an intense meeting or discussion. You have choices: 1. Remember to pause and breathe. 2.  Speak more slowly, so you can think. 3. Set a check-in reminder on your watch. 4. What else could you do to monitor yourself?   REFLECTION: how did you show up? Reflect on the scenario. Ask yourself questions: 1. What did you do well? 2. What could you do better next time? 3. What can you learn from others’ behavior? 4. What else could you do to reflect on how you showed up?   As Tom shared, Napoleon’s definition of genius was, “doing the average thing when those around you are going crazy.” Think about leaders you admire and how they deal with a crisis or a high-stakes scenario. In addition, leaders you don’t admire can also be instructive examples of what NOT to do.   As for me, I’m usually able to stay calm on the outside, but that is often the LAST feeling I’m having on the inside. My struggle is actually BEING the calm person I’m striving to present. Strategies that are working well: 1. Pausing 2. Breathing 3. Taking a short break or a short walk 4. Reminding myself everything will be okay.   What works for you? How do you remain calm?   #executivepresence #executivecoaching #leadership

How you respond to stress is directly correlated to your level of success in your career and in life. After countless sleepless days, I found a 5-step formula to help me through it: How you respond to these critical moments will make or break you. I'm sharing the 5-part thought process I go through when my stress levels redline. Feel free to bookmark this if it's helpful: STEP 1) Accept the situation The first step is to accept the reality of the situation you're dealing with. Accepting the situation allows you to RESET YOUR EXPECTATIONS and move forward with a newly defined level of "success" that you can meet. *Breathe STEP 2) Remove the emotion Try to separate your emotions from it. By removing the emotional component, you can approach the problem more rationally and make clearer decisions. *Breathe STEP 3) Analyze objectively Why did this happen? Maybe it's because you failed to get back to them on time, or your competition is just better. Use this "failure" as input to improve! Process the reality of that, then go off and do what you need to do– believing that you will do what it takes. *Breathe STEP 4) Maintain an objective mindset   Your mindset determines how you relate to and deal with adversity. Approach challenges with a long-term optimistic mindset, rather than a negative one. An objective mindset allows you to see the situation clearly, assess the facts, and find an effective solution. *Breathe STEP 5) Avoid reacting from a place of fear I know, you want to respond quickly but you should probably rethink that so you don't make any impulsive decisions that can hurt you or your business. Instead, take a moment to breathe, process the situation, and think through your actions before responding. You'll notice there's one common thread that ties the steps together. You need to breathe. Breathing helps to calm the mind in that moment of fear, uncertainty, doubt, panic, or anxiety. When those things arise, you have to center yourself back to where your heart rate decreases and your mind isn't racing like crazy. ➝ Centering yourself physically allow you to make the best decisions mentally. Think about the last time you felt a visceral response to a nasty email from a customer. You want to retaliate with choice words of your own. But that helps nobody. When you're able to run through the above steps, you might be able to pull some helpful feedback out of that email. And you can move on with your day! You won't need this post until you do, but when you do - please re-read it. Derive confidence from this process. Know that you are capable. Control what you can control. Let go of what you can't. What's your best stress management technique?