Life will throw curveballs at you at the most unexpected times. Imagine that you come to work one day, and there’s gossip going around about someone who committed employee fraud. But then the gossips aroused enough suspicions that the higher-ups suddenly require a full-blown audit and review to detect the fraud.

This is only an example of the many possible crises that you may encounter at work despite there being average working days beforehand. There’s no realistic way to avoid having to deal with a crisis unless you trust everyone enough to voice out their concerns the moment they happen, so all that’s left to do is to find the root cause of your problems.

If you’re worried about how to handle your crisis at work, here are some tips that you may be able to use to keep yourself calm and level-headed:

Create a To-do List

When it rains, it pours. That’s why you have to prepared for the worst when you’re handling a crisis at work. Many problems may arise one after another, and it can bury you underneath a pile of responsibilities that you won’t be able to focus on in the meantime. Still, you’ll need to do your best to keep your head above water.

If you’re struggling to keep up with everything that you have to do, it might bode well for you to create a to-do list so that you won’t get too overwhelmed by your responsibilities. Of course, the to-do list is only a small solution, but it may help you plan out all the tasks that you still have to accomplish and cross out the ones you’ve already tackled. Seeing your tasks laid out like that may help you cope better.

Set Reminders to Eat

Dealing with a work crisis is extremely time-consuming. Not only will you have to go over a lot of files and documents related to the case, but you will also have to meet with the people involved. This can cause you to lose track of time or even miss meals because you were too busy to remember.

However, you’ll need sustenance if you’re going to get to the bottom of the case. So, if you know that you often get lost inside your head, it might be best to set reminders on your phone to remember when it’s time to eat. You can also pack healthy snacks for lunch in case you’re too strapped for time to order a full meal or head outside for a break. At least this way, you won’t be working on an empty stomach.

Try Not to Bring Home Work

It’s essential to set proper boundaries between your work and home life, even if you’re determined to immediately solve the crisis at the office. Without ample rest, your mind will be too exhausted to continue functioning in peak condition. So, do yourself a favor and try not to bring your work home.

Besides, you’ll have another chance to solve the crisis at work once you get to your office the following day. Until then, try to put your mind off of work and relieve your stress from the long, hard day. By doing so, you’ll be ready to face another stressful day with a clear head and renewed energy.

Ask for Help When Needed

Even if you’re the one in charge of handling the crisis at work, don’t be afraid to ask for help if it can make your job easier. Remember that you don’t have to do everything all the time. That’s why if you need help—no matter how big or small—try to look for somebody to help you get the job done.

After all, the crisis in the workplace is going to affect everyone sooner or later, which means more people will be encouraged to help out if it means solving the matter faster. So, look for the people willing to extend a helping hand, even if it’s just to print out the documents you need or get you your coffee fix.

Handling a crisis at work is never an easy time. It can raise everyone’s walls and urge them to be on guard because they’re worried about their jobs. Or it can cause even more trouble because everybody’s tense from the situation at hand. But as the one in charge, you’ll have to stay level-headed.

If everyone’s emotions are all over the place, you can’t be someone who joins them. Instead, you have to be the person that puts out the fires before they engulf the office in flames. So work hard enough to solve your crisis at the office, but not too hard that it compromises your health and well-being.