Psychology Hacks to Help You Stay Cool, Collected in High-Stress

In high-stress situations, there are a few psychological tricks you can use to keep your cool, calm, and collected. Here are 10 psychology hacks you should know to control any situation:

1. Ask for a favor before making a request.

This is a classic psychological trick known as the foot-in-the-door technique. When you ask someone for a small favor, they are more likely to say yes to a larger favor later on. For example, if you want someone to help you with a project, start by asking them to do a small task, such as making copies or running an errand. Once they have agreed to help you with the small task, they are more likely to agree to help you with the larger task.

2. Use the power of suggestion.

When you want someone to do something, you can often get them to do it by simply suggesting that they do it. For example, if you want someone to take a meeting with you, you can say something like, “I think you’re going to want to hear this.” It is very effective to use this subtle suggestion when you want people to follow your instructions.

3. Make people feel special.

Everyone wants to feel special, and you can use this to your advantage. When you make someone feel special, they are more likely to be inclined to help you. This is another classic in the listed psychology hacks. For example, you can compliment someone on their appearance, their work, or their accomplishments. This will make them feel good about themselves, and they will be more likely to want to help you in return.

4. Use humor.

The best way to break the ice and make people feel comfortable is with humor. It can also be used to defuse a tense situation. If you can make someone laugh, they are more likely to be open to your ideas and suggestions.

5. Be a good listener.

People are more likely to be persuaded by someone who they feel is listening to them and understands their point of view. When you are listening to someone, make eye contact, nod your head, and ask questions to show that you are interested in what they have to say.

6. Use the power of reciprocity.

When someone does something nice for you, you are more likely to do something nice for them in return. This is known as the principle of reciprocity. You can use this principle to your advantage by doing something nice for someone before you ask them for a favor. For example, you can bring someone coffee or lunch, or you can help them out with a task. Once they have done something nice for you, they are more likely to do something nice for you in return.

7. Appeal to people’s emotions.

Arguments that appeal to an individual’s emotions tend to persuade them more. For example, if you want someone to donate to a charity, you can talk about the suffering of the people who are being helped by the charity. This will appeal to people’s emotions and make them more likely to donate.

8. Be persistent.

If you really want to persuade someone, you need to be persistent. You don’t have to give up if they say no the first time. Keep asking them until they say yes.

9. Use the right body language.

Your body language can send a powerful message to the people around you. If you want to appear confident, make eye contact, stand up straight, and smile. If you want to appear approachable, relax your body and smile.

10. Be yourself.

The most important thing is to be yourself. People can see through fakeness, so it’s important to be genuine. If you are genuine, people will be more likely to trust you and be persuaded by you.

These are just a few of the many psychology hacks that you can use to control any situation. By understanding how people think and behave, you can use these hacks to your advantage to get what you want.