(opinion essay)

As far as I know, talks about work and negotiations can be very stressful. But if you know a few tricks, you can keep your cool and maybe even crack a few jokes to lighten the mood. So I can share several of them from my own experience.

First, it is important to remember humor. If you can crack a few jokes at the beginning of the conversation, it can have a positive effect on the atmosphere in the room. However, do not forget that the humor should be non-demeaning and not offensive to other participants.

The second tip – do not forget about breathing. Breathing is a great way to calm your nerves and focus on what’s going on in the room. During negotiations, you should focus on your breathing, take several deep breaths and exhale.

Also, don’t forget about pauses. When you feel stressed, pause and focus on something else, such as your own breathing or something interesting in the room. Taking a break can calm the nerves and help maintain a sense of well-being.

Finally, don’t forget your body. When you are in a stressful situation, your body can stiffen and maintain tension. It is important to relax your muscles, relieve tension and feel your body.

Last tip – don’t forget to laugh. Laughter is an amazing cure for tension and stress. If you can find a way to make the other negotiators laugh, it can be a great break in a tense situation.

For example, you can use humorous metaphors to explain your points. For example, if you think your colleague’s idea isn’t very good, you might say, “That’s an idea that could work like a target for blindfolded shooting—you might hit it, but the odds are slim.”

You can also use humor to change the subject for a moment if you feel the conversation is getting too tense. For example, you can say: “Did you know that I heard that today is a coffee holiday. Which of you is a coffee lover?”

In general, maintaining a sense of well-being in any negotiations is an important aspect of successful communication. Humor, breathing, pausing, body awareness, and laughter are just some of the ways you can make negotiations less stressful and more productive.