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Leaders: How to Avoid Meltdown in Crisis

Crisis and uncertainty can create stress and add pressure to any situation. Leaders are in a unique position to assist teammates, friends, and colleagues through times of crisis. 

It is also, of course, important to care for yourself during difficult times. This will help you avoid meltdown. Habits that can help you and your team see through a crisis include: 

Fueling and Refueling Mindfully: Staying healthy will enable you and others to run at everyone’s best. Take time regularly to pause and recover each day. A balanced diet and adequate sleep greatly engender healthy stress regulation. While caffeine and sugar can give you or your team a temporary boost of energy, they can also eventually crash your mood and productivity levels. If you can, enable yourself and your team to stay hydrated with water rather than sugary drinks and have nutritious food on-hand. 

Tackling One Thing at a Time: Suddenly faced with multiple issues at once? Try to focus on each of your stressors at a time. No matter how capable you think you are, the human brain is not meant to multi-task. This can lead to brain-drain and mental “cobwebs” left from frequently switching between tasks. If you notice someone on your team has a lot on their plate, assess if time-blocking will assist them, or if you can assist them with their to-do’s.

Learning to Listen: Sometimes, an understanding ear is all people need. Listening will also help you get an accurate picture of what the people around you are going through. If you listen, you will be better able to offer your peers support and solutions that will truly make a difference, during both bountiful or stressful times.  

Turning to Others: When things feel overwhelming, reach out to your network or your mentor. They may have the advice, aid, or opportunities based on their experience and wisdom. Don’t wait too long to ask for help. By delaying taking action, you may risk making a problem spiral out of control. If we all support each other, we will enable everyone around us to succeed! 

Good leadership engenders the creation of strong, lasting connections. Learn more ways to make a difference at the Syncis Money Blog