{"id":108897,"date":"2025-02-12T14:58:31","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T14:58:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/?post_type=news&p=108897"},"modified":"2025-04-28T19:17:06","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T19:17:06","slug":"neuroscience-reveals-3-simple-habits-to-reduce-stress-curb-anger-and-boost-your-performance","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/neuroscience-reveals-3-simple-habits-to-reduce-stress-curb-anger-and-boost-your-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"Neuroscience Reveals 3 Simple Habits to Reduce Stress, Curb Anger, and Boost Your Performance"},"content":{"rendered":"
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These science-backed practices can help you stay calm, think clearly, and thrive under pressure.<\/h5>\n
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Ever feel like\u00a0your brain<\/a>\u00a0is working against you during those stressful, high-pressure moments? You\u2019re not alone. But here\u2019s the good news:\u00a0Neuroscience<\/a>\u00a0reveals that our ability to direct and maintain attention is one of the most powerful tools we have for managing workplace stress and emotional challenges. Yet many professionals struggle with effectively deploying this mental resource during high-pressure situations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In his book\u00a0Shift: Managing Your Emotions\u2014So They Don\u2019t Manage You<\/a><\/em>, neuroscientist and University of Michigan professor Ethan Kross explains how directing our \u201cmental spotlight\u201d can regulate emotions and enhance workplace performance, offering three practical strategies for better emotional control.<\/p>\n

Deploy Your Attention Flexibly<\/h4>\n

Rather than rigidly forcing yourself to either confront or avoid workplace challenges, develop the ability to shift your attention strategically. This might mean focusing on a difficult project when you have the emotional resources but allowing yourself to pivot to other tasks when needed.<\/p>\n

According to\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Psychological Science<\/em>, people who can flexibly direct their attention\u2014both toward and away from challenges as needed\u2014demonstrate greater resilience in high-pressure environments.<\/p>\n

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Recognize When Your Strategy Isn\u2019t Working<\/h4>\n

Pay attention to warning signs that your current approach to a workplace challenge isn\u2019t effective. Kross suggests you instead ask yourself: \u201cIs what I\u2019m doing working? Is it making me feel better about the problem in front of me?\u201d If the answer is no, these are signs your attention strategy needs adjustment.<\/p>\n

Watch for patterns of getting stuck in repetitive negative thoughts about work situations; this indicates a need to change your strategy.<\/p>\n

Leverage Your Psychological Immune System<\/h4>\n

Understanding how your mind naturally processes workplace challenges can help you direct attention more effectively. Kross says that \u201cour emotions follow a natural time course: The further you get away from the inciting incident of distress, the more the sharpness of the emotion fades.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sometimes, briefly directing attention away from a work challenge allows your psychological immune system to process the situation more effectively. Kross points out, \u201cInstead of firing back a frustrated response to a work email, you slam your laptop shut; when you come back to it the next morning, you find you\u2019re much less angry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deploying your attention successfully in the workplace isn\u2019t about maintaining constant focus but instead sharpening your ability to direct your attention strategically to manage workplace challenges and achieve peak performance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

To learn more about stress, go to stress.org<\/a><\/p>\n

EXPERT OPINION BY\u00a0MARCEL SCHWANTES<\/a>, INC. CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, EXECUTIVE COACH, SPEAKER, AND AUTHOR\u00a0@MARCELSCHWANTES<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

These science-backed practices can help you stay calm, think clearly, and thrive under pressure. Ever feel like\u00a0your brain\u00a0is working against you during those stressful, high-pressure moments? You\u2019re not alone. 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