Flight #7 - 9 Strategies for Building Resilience in High-Pressure Environments

Welcome to The Flight Shrink newsletter! This is Dr. Kevin Heacock.

Before we get to today's topic, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your continued support as a reader and or listener of The Flight Shrink newsletter. I had this idea for an aviation themed mental health newsletter while I was deployed last year as a flight surgeon and psychiatrist.  But I couldn’t quite get it started until this summer.  So to see it actually getting off the ground and getting more and more subscribers has been a lot of fun for me.

As of the writing of this post we have 22 subscribers.  And sure many of them are friends and family, but there are some subscribers who found The Flight Shrink organically from Facebook or Instagram or other sources.  And it would be great to see even more subscribers.   It might take a while, but once we have over 100 subscribers I think I’ll do a special edition of The Flight Shrink newsletter and podcast that I think you’d all really appreciate.  So please share it on your social media if you think others might be interested.  Your engagement with this community is what fuels these discussions on mental health in aviation. So, again, thank you!

For today’s post, we're delving into a subject that's of utmost importance for aviators (and all of us really) – building resilience in high-pressure environments. Aviation is a field where split-second decisions and precise execution can make all the difference. Pilots often find themselves navigating through intense situations that demand peak performance even under extreme stress.  And it’s those pilots with the most resilience who thrive under these conditions the best.

So, what is resilience? Well, resilience is made up of a few different concepts.  For one, resilience is the ability to adapt to the situation at hand so as to come out the other side without too much mental or physical damage.  But if a more negative outcome occurs despite attempts to adapt, resilience is also that ability to bounce back from those tougher times.  And lastly, resilience reveals itself in those who learn to thrive in the face of these adverse situations.

You see, resilience isn't about eliminating stress or challenges.  It’s not about finding the easy path through life.  No, resilience is about developing the skills and mindset to handle yourself effectively when you find yourself on the not-so-easy path. And in the high-pressure world of aviation, cultivating resilience is crucial to maintaining safety and well-being.  It may just save your life some day.

So here are 9 strategies to help build resilience in high-pressure environments:

1. Mindfulness and Stress Awareness:

These are in no particular order, but those who know me know I love mindfulness, and even newer readers of The Flight Shrink may have caught on to my affinity for the topic.  But it applies to resilience here too, because mindfulness allows you to recognize stressors and your body's response to them.  Practicing mindfulness teaches you to stay present in the moment and notice whatever you notice without judgment.  By noticing stress, you can manage it by doing something about it before it becomes overwhelming.  Or if the stress rises to a more significant level, being aware of this by being mindful of it, you can tailor your response to the stressor at hand, rather than just reacting to it without really thinking.

2. Structured Decision-Making:

This is one thing pilots learn quite well throughout their training.  Establishing a structured process for making decisions, especially during critical moments is a great way to maintain resilience.  Making decisions this way helps prevent rash decisions driven by stress or panic. Probably the most notable way pilots do this is by following a checklist that allows them to gather information and assess their options before acting.  I have seen this on several flights traveling as a flight surgeon member of the crew.  A warning light will come on and the pilots respond by talking about what they see and then pulling up the procedure for what to do when that warning comes up.  They follow the steps in the checklist and it either resolves the warning, or if the warning light remains, they follow the procedure of how to manage the rest of the flight.  We may not all have checklists for every time something goes wrong in our lives, but having a way of managing things when they’re not going our way can be a great way to maintain resilience in every day life.

3. Effective Communication:

Clear and concise communication is essential in aviation.  Good communication is important in all relationships too, whether they be partners, co-workers, children, friends, or strangers.  Practicing open communication with your crew and air traffic control is very important.  What’s great about communication in aviation is that everyone learns the same way of talking about common events.  They use the same phonetic alphabet (alpha, bravo, charlie, etc…).  They implement a positive exchange of flight controls by saying something like, “your aircraft,” and then not letting go of the controls until the other pilot acknowledges this by saying, “my aircraft.”  Communicating this way can seem a little awkward in every day life, but I do find myself confirming with my wife when she asks, “you’re picking up the kids today, right?” by replying, “I’m picking up the kids today, yes.”  Clear communication like this reduces misunderstandings and promotes collaboration.

4. Preparation and Training:

Obviously there is a lot of training that goes into becoming a pilot.  Rigorous training prepares you to handle challenging scenarios.  And the more situations you train for, the better you will be if any of them come up.  By simulating high-pressure situations, you build muscle memory and confidence, which can reduce stress during real flights.  There are other professions where training is important of course.  We probably don’t do as much of this in every day life.  We don’t practice driving in simulators to know how to respond to a driving emergency.  We tend to rely more on managing every day stressors to teach us how to manage future stressors.  But if we’re not resilient to begin with, we are not likely to be resilient in the future.  So practicing these strategies may help you build resilience if you don’t already have it.

5. Healthy Lifestyle:

Physical health directly influences mental resilience. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and sufficient sleep contribute to cognitive function and emotional well-being.  Being physically fit conditions your body to be able to handle new physical stressors when they present themselves.  So when your friend asks you to help them move, you’re not laid up with back pain for the next week because you’ve been staying in shape regularly.  A healthy diet helps so that when you get sick you can bounce back more quickly due to a healthy immune system.  And getting regular rest with a good night’s sleep will make sure you have the energy and cognitive reserve to handle stressful situations when they do arise.  I discuss this in much more detail in the post on Exploring the Link Between Mental and Physical Health

6. Positive Mindset:

Cultivate a positive outlook by focusing on your strengths and successes. Most people are pretty good about identifying their weaknesses.  While this is important, those who are the most resilient are also good about knowing their strengths.  When you know your strengths, you can play to your strengths. In the same situation, different people may solve the problem differently by knowing what they’re best at and how that attribute can best manage the issue.  For instance, in officer training we are given a physical obstacle to overcome and take turns leading a group of people over the obstacle.  Some leaders know just what to do and guide their group over the obstacle.  And that’s great.  That’s their strength, solving a problem and telling people what to do.  But then there are other leaders who don’t know how to solve the obstacle, but they are good motivators and listeners and so they encourage their group to think through it together, agree on an action plan, and then implement it.  Two successful ways to solve the same problem.  Knowing your strengths can give you a positivity boost in your confidence and helps you approach challenges with a solution-oriented mindset.

7. Resilient Role Models:

Learn from experienced aviators who have faced high-pressure situations. Mentorship like this is important in all kinds of professions and activities. I’ve had many mentors throughout my medical and military careers.  And I’ve become a mentor for others now that I’m more senior.  A mentorship chain like this allows us to learn, not just from the previous generation, but from all the generations before.  The stories of our mentors can provide great insights and important guidance for managing stress and making sound decisions even when we face a situation we’ve never faced before.

8. Self-Care and Support:

Prioritize self-care activities that help you relax and recharge. We can’t go-go-go all the time.  Pilots rely on their schedulers and crew rest rules to keep them from burning out.  But it’s important to raise your hand and identify yourself as needing a break when the schedule is more than you can handle.  Maintaining healthy hobbies and activities can help you relieve stress and overcome tough times.  And when that’s not enough, reach out for support from friends, family, and colleagues. We hear it all the time, but seeking help really is a sign of strength, not weakness.  This cliché has taken on platitude status and so may frustrate some people when they hear it.  So I’ll try to say it a different way:  It may feel like you’re giving up or that you’re not good enough if things have gotten so bad that you have to ask for help.  But it’s the one’s who don’t speak up for themselves who continue to suffer.  Never feel weak for making yourself stronger.

9. Continuous Learning:

Embrace a growth mindset by seeking continuous learning. Pilots are good about this as they go through basic training to become a pilot and then an aircraft commander and then an instructor pilot.  There’s always more to learn as new information is always becoming available.  As soon as you think you know everything you’ve given up on learning.  Acquiring new skills and knowledge can enhance your confidence and adaptability in demanding situations. Being willing to admit you don’t know everything will allow you to remain flexible so you can respond appropriately, no matter what you’re faced with.  And having that mindset will allow you to be as resilient as possible whether you thrive due to the skills you do know, have to adapt by learning new skills on the fly, or bounce back after a bit of a set back.

Remember, building resilience is an ongoing journey. It's about developing a toolkit of strategies that work for you. By intentionally practicing these strategies, you can navigate high-pressure environments more effectively, ensuring the safety of yourself, your crew, and your passengers.

Thank you for joining me in exploring the topic of building resilience in high-pressure environments. Stay tuned to The Flight Shrink for more valuable insights into mental well-being in aviation.

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I'm Dr. Kevin Heacock, The Flight Shrink... Keep on flyin'!