Why the first 30 seconds of a stressful situation are the most critical

Think about stepping up to the podium to speak, or going into a job interview, or having a difficult conversation with an employee. When you’re entering any stressful situation, the most difficult part is the beginning when your anxiety peaks.

That period of time is also the most critical because how you handle the first 30 to 60 seconds of a difficult situation will make or break your approach, says Ryan Fields-Spack, first responder wellness lead for AT&T’s FirstNet, a communications network created for first responders.

“When you think about something that might make you nervous, you feel butterflies in your stomach and your heart beating—all of the things that get that jitteriness going in your system,” he says. “If you try to start doing something in the first 30 to 60 seconds with that jitter going on, it’s much more difficult to think clearly and make concise, qualitative decisions.”

Fields-Spack spent 23 years leading emergency services and firefighting teams and has entered numerous life-or-death situation, having no idea what he’d be called to do. One of his first calls as an EMT was for an elderly gentleman who was in cardiac arrest.

“His family was staring at me as I walk through the door,” he recalls. “It was my job to manage that situation. During the first 30 to 60 seconds, I had to calm myself and be able to advise and direct those around me. If I come in really nervous, everybody else is going to raise to my level. But if I approach the situation with a calm voice and positive, confident demeanor, everybody else will drop to my level and we will be able to manage the incident in much more cohesive fashion.”

The techniques Fields-Spack leaned on throughout his career can apply to any difficult action. He shares four steps for lowering stress and managing a tricky situation:

Practice Meditation

Before any situation arises, Fields-Spack helps control his overall stress by meditating every day, even if it’s just for two minutes.

“Meditation is super important because it is like exercise for your brain,” he says. “It’s like doing reps in your mind to be able to focus in the moment later. . . . It primes you so that you know what to do first, and then how to move forward.”

Just Breathe

The next step is addressing the physical challenges that come with nervousness. Fields-Spack calls this step “just breathe,” and says it’s essentially mindfulness.

“The jitters that you get is a physical manifestation of an adrenaline dump and the amygdala hijack that goes on in your brain,” he says. “Those have physical symptoms, and there is a way to reduce them.”

For example, Fields-Spack says it’s natural to clench your fists when you’re stressed and not realize that you’re doing it. Look at your hands, and if you have made fists, simply shake them out.

Another area where stress shows up is the jaw, which often tightens. Fields-Spack recommends physically dropping your jaw towards the floor, which can instantly generate a feeling of relaxation in your shoulders. Finally, take a deep breath.

“If you take the first 10 seconds when you’re facing that stressful situation to relax your fists and shake them out, drop your jaw down, and take one deep breath, you can drop your pulse, lower your blood pressure, and release the anxiety inside your system,” he says.

Harness Your Inner Superhero

Once you’ve addressed the physical symptoms of stress, Fields-Spack pays attention to his presence. He likes an approach credited to psychologist Amy Cuddy called “power posing.”

“Your mind can subconsciously improve upon its ability to perform by standing like a superhero,” says Fields-Spack. “It’s an alpha open superhero stance. If you’ve ever looked at a dog that’s submissive, it protects its neck. A powerful dog will stand tall. The same thing can happen to you.”

Fields-Spack makes sure he’s standing in a posture that allows him every ounce of capability, such as stretching his arms and legs and taking up space, puffing out his chest, and keeping his head held high.

Rehearse Challenges

The final step is to mentally rehearse, such as preplanning the first 30 seconds of a speech or knowing exactly how you will introduce yourself to a hiring manager or client prospect.

“If you can get through that first fog moment of the nervousness, you can continue and move forward,” says Fields-Spack. “Set yourself up to success.”

Mental rehearsal is helpful because the previous steps can take up those first 60 seconds. If you’ve got a mental model of what to do or say, you’ll see things start to smooth out as you go forward.

“When you go into stressful situations, you can go down one of two paths,” says Fields-Spack. “You can go down the path of being very stressed out and not able to function well, or you can calm yourself, just breathe, and decide how you’re going to act in that situation. These steps don’t just work for police officers, firefighters, and paramedics; they can work for anyone.”