I like to do this exercise with people starting a new business venture--it's a great way to troubleshoot any future problems. Basically, you're going to brainstorm potential mistakes you and/or your staff might make in the future. Be brutally honest: Where could you possibly screw up? What could go wrong if all hell broke loose? Then talk through how you would handle it. You are proactively avoiding these mistakes by anticipating them ahead of time. No one likes to imagine the "what-ifs," but it gives you greater piece of mind knowing you have a plan to handle them.
-Tabatha Coffey, Own It!
Whether you are naturally more optimistic or pessimistic, the activity suggested above is an excellent, organized way to feel more prepared and to lower your stress. If you are a manager, this is an activity you can easily do with your team as a group. One of the biggest benefits of this is that your team will be able to come up with potential solutions that require they help each other out through lateral assistance. If you aren't a manager, however, no worries - you can still complete this activity by yourself, thinking through the issues you personally might encounter. Once you are done, you might consider sharing your results with your boss, as he or she will definitely see your professionalism and determination, and might be inspired to do the activity himself/herself.