pulling oneself together

Verb

pull oneself together (third-person singular simple present pulls oneself together, present participle pulling oneself together, simple past and past participle pulled oneself together)

1. (idiomatic, reflexive) To become mentally focused after a period of being unfocused; to regain control of oneself
   • "Damn, damn, damnation!" he murmured, together with such other words as he had learnt from older men. Then he raised his hand to his forehead and said, "Oh, damn it all—" which meant something different. He pulled himself together. He drank a little tea, black and silent, that still survived upon...1910, E. M. Forster, chapter 6, in Howards End

   Synonyms:

   pull one's shit together