WHILE all around him begin to fret and flap, Stephen Quinn aims to live out the last month of the Championship season ensconced inside a bubble.
Bitter experience has taught the 27-year-old to adopt such an insular approach. Nothing else, he insists, will really matter beyond the fortunes of Hull City.
"I've been guilty of it in the past when I spend all my time looking at tables and results but I honestly can't do it anymore," said Quinn, contemplating yet another fraught finale in his colourful career as City chase promotion to the Premier League.
"It used to eat me up alive. That's why I try not to look at it. I don't even bother with all that anymore.
"I know where we are, I know what we need to do, but I wouldn't dwell on all that stuff because it will only bog you down. It's all about what we do."
A 1-0 defeat to promotion rivals Watford on Tuesday night has cut off City's breathing space and leaves Steve Bruce's men with just a one-point advantage in second. This afternoon's visit of Middlesbrough has subsequently been left with scant margin for error.
Quinn, though, is refusing to let his shoulders sink under the weight of expectation this time around.
Twice (in 2008-09 and 2011-12) the 27-year-old was part of a Sheffield United side that missed out on automatic promotion. Defeat in the respective play-off finals only made matters worse.
From adversity comes experience, however, and a new-found indifference to all of City's rivals. The campaign's final 28 days, beginning with the visit of Middlesbrough, are to be enjoyed, rather than endured.
"It was something my Dad used to say when I was younger but I never really knew what he was getting at because of the intensity that comes with professional football. I used to think 'How am I supposed to enjoy it?'
"I've got older and only now do I get it. It's the most important thing you can do in a football match because if you're not enjoying it then you'll not play well. I know that looking back. I've been there when I didn't enjoy it and it's not nice. In fact, it's a horrible feeling.
"The minute you go out there uptight and feeling the pressure, you'll struggle to do well. It's important to relax if you're going to get the best out of your ability.
"Relish the challenge, don't be worrying about it. This chance might not come again. If it does, you'll be lucky."
If it took Quinn the best part of a decade to reach such an epiphany, the midfielder is now attempting to make his younger team-mates see the error of his ways.
He added: "We play old versus young on a Friday and I'm suddenly on the old team now. I used to be the young lad but the tide has turned fairly quickly.
"If I can pass on any experience during these last few games then I'll obviously look to do that. I'm 27 now and I've been through a lot of highs and lows.
"It's another cliche but you can't get too high and you can't get too low. I just try to stay somewhere in between where I can enjoy the moment."
Quinn's experience will be sought when he returns to City's starting line-up this afternoon.
A minor knee injury cost him his ever-present status since joining from Sheffield United in August and ruled him out of last week's 1-0 win at Huddersfield. Quinn was fit enough to emerge off the bench in the sobering set-back against Watford, but now a start comes with added responsibility.
Although a smattering of youth, most notably Robbie Brady, James Chester and Corry Evans, will walk into unchartered ground in the next few weeks, the new senior has no fears their character will cope.
"It's a big thing, and they know it is, but they've got good heads around them," he added.
"There's the manager and a lot of experienced players like Robbie Koren and Abdoulaye Faye, who have been there and done it.
"It's good to have that mix between experience and enthusiasm.
"Even the young lads, like Robbie Brady and James Chester, are beyond their years. They're strong characters who know how to control their emotions."
A test of City's credentials comes at the end of a week that could have seen them plant one foot in the Premier League, but instead saw them collared by their nearest rivals. Where it promised to be seven points, the lead now stands at one.
Watford laid claim to a psychological victory in the race to join Cardiff bound for the top flight, yet it was their celebrations that have left the deepest cut on City.
"If they want to celebrate in the way they have done, leave them to it," said Quinn. "We're still a point ahead of them.
"Psychological edge or not, we're still ahead of them. So long as we're the ones celebrating at the end of the season that's all that matters.
"Maybe it was a little bit over the top but I suppose for them it was a huge result. We're a good side and they obviously felt it was a big win."
City have the chance to strike back with victory over a struggling Middlesbrough side before Watford face league-leaders Cardiff at Vicarage Road this evening.
But at this stage of the season, not even hosting a side that has managed just eight points from a possible 45 will see Quinn relax.
He added: "It does look a nice game to have but there's no way we'll take Middlesbrough lightly. The minute you do that it'll come around and bite you.
"They're a wounded animal so we've got to be cautious of them, but if we can click like we have at home this season, I'm not sure there's a team in this league that can match our best.
"They beat us well and beat us comfortably up there so it would be nice to get one over on them."
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• Bruce: Hull City must stick together
