In the professional life of each of us, sooner or later there comes a time when the largest, most expensive, most responsible project comes which seems to be able to affect our entire life and further career. But even if the project is not as large as the Sochi Olympics, it often takes more than one million nerve cells to implement it. During the delivery of such projects, it seems as if the world has gone mad, everything is on fire, everything is going wrong and we will certainly be fired and publicly burned if everything does not work out exactly according to the original plan. But do not exaggerate the scale of the disaster — in the end, the project will pass, and the damaged nerves will remain. So we decided to collect a few tips that have helped us keep our nerves and sanity during the preparation of complex projects.
Plan everything in advance
The best way to avoid stress is to have a detailed action plan for the entire duration of the project. Ideally, with several possible scenarios. For example, if the printing press you need suddenly breaks down which should print notebooks with your logo, where do you contact? If the host loses his voice or breaks his leg, who can replace him? Having a plan B and C in advance is very useful both for maintaining nerves and for minimizing the consequences of crisis situations.
Don't put everything off until the last moment
There are different things in life, we understand. And sometimes an important project falls on your head suddenly, along with a thousand guests and a deadline in a couple of weeks. But if you have at least a small planning horizon, try to avoid a situation where everything is done at the last moment. Leave yourself a small amount of time to correct mistakes, eliminate the consequences of misunderstandings with the contractor and apply plan B (see point 1). It is difficult to imagine a more stressful situation, when everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong, and there is no way to retreat and fix it.
Don't forget to rest
Under no circumstances should you be tempted to work around the clock, even if the project is archived and archived. During large-scale projects, of course, you have to work about twice as much as in "peacetime" and unfortunately there is often little that can be done about it. But try to clearly monitor your sleep and rest regime — sleep at least 6 hours a day. Lack of sleep affects not only the nervous system: a person who does not sleep loses concentration, sense of time, gets tired faster, breaks down on others, his productivity falls at times. Eventually, his immune system weakens which increases the risk of catching a serious disease at the most inopportune moment. All this loads an already stressful situation with additional excitement and by the end of the project can significantly undermine our health and nerves.
It will not do your job any good if you miss an error in the printed program, send a press release about the opening of a metal rolling plant to glossy journalists, or suddenly forget the patronymic of the General Director while standing on the stage. Or if you suffer from a fever and cough during the day.
Learn to relax
Your own recipe for restoring psychological balance is already necessary for everyone and even while working on a serious project — doubly so. Before going to bed for at least 20-30 minutes, do something that calms you — take a bath, listen to music, read a couple of pages of a book or magazine, play the guitar, wash the mosaic — anything! The only advice is that while working on a serious project, it is important to keep your mind fresh and therefore it is better to avoid alcohol for a while. Even a couple of glasses of wine will affect your well-being and concentration in the morning, when you need maximum concentration.
Go to the pharmacy
If you know that you are going to have a stressful period, it is better to prepare for it in advance by lighting up everything you need at the pharmacy. A large project usually involves increased mental stress which means that our body needs useful substances and minerals — choose a multivitamin complex, or monocomponent dietary Supplements like omega-3 or vitamin C. Try to drink mineral-rich water. If you know that your nerves are your weak point, it is better to consult a doctor and choose the remedy that is right for you — it can be chamomile tea, motherwort or some stronger drug. If you are going to need increased concentration, creative activity and intense mental activity for a long time, it may make sense to consult your doctor about taking nootropics. Well, try not to forget about strengthening the immune system — it was not enough to get sick in the middle of the project delivery.
