Cognitive reappraisal is a powerful psychological tool that involves changing the way you think about a situation in order to alter your emotional response to it. It’s especially useful in managing stress, anxiety, and other challenging emotions. Here are some quick cognitive reappraisal techniques that can be applied in various situations, including the workplace:
Reframe the challenge as an opportunity:
- Technique: When faced with a daunting task or situation, instead of viewing it as a stressful challenge, try to see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Ask yourself, “What can I learn from this situation?” or “How can this make me stronger?”
- Benefit: This perspective shift can transform feelings of fear or anxiety into feelings of motivation and determination.
The long-term perspective:
- Technique: When you’re stressed or upset about a situation, ask yourself how much this will matter in a year, or even in five years. This helps to minimise the perceived impact of the stressor.
- Benefit: By considering the long-term significance of a situation, you can reduce its immediate emotional impact and alleviate stress.
Identify and challenge catastrophic thinking:
- Technique: Notice when you’re assuming the worst will happen and challenge this thought. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen, and how likely is it?” Follow up with, “How could I cope or adapt if it did happen?”
- Benefit: This reduces the intensity of your emotional response by providing a more balanced view of the situation.
Look for the silver lining:
- Technique: In every negative situation, try to find a positive aspect or a silver lining. Even in challenging times, there can be elements of good if you look for them.
- Benefit: Focusing on positive aspects can help shift your mood and reduce negative emotions associated with the situation.
Consider alternative explanations:
- Technique: When you find yourself upset by someone else’s actions, consider several different reasons why they might have behaved that way, which aren’t personal or malicious towards you. Ask yourself “What might be going on for them to behave in this way?”
- Benefit: This helps to reduce personal distress, anger, or resentment, fostering more empathetic and constructive responses.
Normalise the experience:
- Technique: Remind yourself that it’s normal to face challenges and feel stressed, and that everyone goes through difficult times.
- Benefit: Knowing that your feelings are a normal response can reduce feelings of isolation and abnormality, and increase resilience.
Focus on what you can control:
- Technique: When faced with a stressful situation, distinguish between what you can control and what you cannot. Focus your energy on actions and thoughts that are within your control.
- Benefit: This helps to reduce feelings of helplessness and increases feelings of empowerment and efficacy.
Practice mindfulness and acceptance:
- Technique: Practice mindfulness by acknowledging your feelings without judgement and then gently guiding your focus back to the present task or moment.
- Benefit: This can help you avoid becoming overwhelmed by negative emotions and maintain a calm, centred state.
Identify the emotion and choose to feel differently:
- Technique: identify the exact emotion you are feeling (use the feelings wheel if you need to) then ask yourself what other emotions you could feel right now. What might be more useful in this situation?
- Benefit: This helps to broaden your emotional self-awareness and helps you choose your emotional state and response.
These cognitive reappraisal techniques can be quickly and easily applied in almost any situation to help manage emotional responses and improve mental well-being. Practising these strategies regularly can also enhance your emotional intelligence and resilience over time.
If you are interested in learning more, please check out the NeuroMindfulness Institute.
