September to November: 2025 budgets, Q3 closes, recruitment waves, back-to-school… No wonder many of us feel the pressure-cooker syndrome right after the holidays.
In this article :
- Recognise – stress is a perfectly normal reaction
- Reset the “alert-escape” loop
- Defuse the bomb in 4 steps
- Leave the bunker – the power of connection
1. First : yes, this tension is normal!
An “URGENT” e-mail = a general mobilisation order for your reptilian brain: Fight – Flight – Freeze. Great when the building is on fire, counter-productive for an Excel sheet.
First warning sign : day-dreaming of hibernation, snapping at colleagues or epic procrastination. ➡️ Stop: observe stress like an object on the table; naming the sensation already starts the defusing.
2. Reactivate “perception – analysis – choice”
90-second micro-ritual
1. Sit, feet grounded, eyes closed.
2. Inhale very slowly – feel the cool air rising to your collarbones.
3. Hold 2 s: “What do I choose right now?”
4. Exhale longer – follow the warmth going back down.
(3 cycles)
This body-emotion-mind pause reinstalls the pre-frontal decision circuit; you exit the pure defence reflex.
3. Defuse the bomb – 4 concrete keys
- Map
List all pressure sources. Hot on the spot, we mix up real urgencies and illusions. - Rank (Impact / Control matrix)
• High impact & high control → priority
• High impact & low control → alert, negotiate backup
• Low impact → postpone or drop - Pick a strategy
a) Absorb (minimal effort, limited impact)
b) Act immediately (≤ 2 h task)
c) Delegate / ask for help
d) Dodge (say no, officially postpone) - Schedule micro-actions
Each priority bomb =next physical actionin the calendar (not “finish deck” but “import P&L charts slides 7-9”).
You move from paralysing blur to a concrete pipeline – and the brain loves it.
4. Re-connect: stress hates collaboration
The isolation reflex (“leave me alone!”) suffocates creativity. Reverse it: move, talk, request fast feedback.
- 15-min walk-meeting: movement + brainstorm = double benefit.
- 1-to-1 coffee: share a worry → often a colleague already holds 50 % of the answer.
- Contribution mindset: “What can I bring the team today?” – shifts focus from fear to value.
“Back-to-work Serenity” Checklist
- Breathing break 3×/day
- Impact/Control matrix done
- 1 micro-action scheduled per priority bomb
- 2 networking/check-in meetings before Friday
- 20 min daily movement (walk, stretch…)
Remember: you can’t stop September’s swell, but you are at the helm – and your crew only waits for a signal to row with you.
Need a co-pilot?
One strategic coaching session can clarify your urgencies, install an anti-stress system and breathe new energy into your team.