Callum Wilson says he used the recent international break to switch off from football with Newcastle focussing on themselves rather than the teams around them.
Speaking to the BBC's The Footballer's Podcast with Michail Antonio, Wilson has given an insight in the Magpies dressing room and how the relegation battle is affecting players psychologically.
The Magpies dismal start to the season has left them winless in the opening 14 games of the Premier League season - more than one-third of their way through the campaign.
It's Newcastle's worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign and although performances on the pitch have been disappointing, there are still 72 points still to play for.
Wilson said: "When football's not going so well for yourself, you kind of tend not to look at the league and the league table and what everyone else is doing.
"You try and focus on yourself and try to switch off from football a little bit. It's not nice being down there, scrapping away week in and week out."
The Magpies have slipped to the foot of the Premier League after Norwich's recent upturn in form.
Wilson added: "We're experiencing looking over our shoulder but also looking at who we can catch.
"Every game - it's enjoyable, football is enjoyable - but it's not as enjoyable when you're winning towards the top of the league. You're playing with that confidence and freedom anyway.
"Players are trying things they wouldn't usually do, taking risks they wouldn't usually take, whereas when you're in our situation it's different.
"People have more fear and they lock up a bit more and get a bit more tense. They then don't make the passes that they should be doing when you know they've got the quality.
"You have to look inwards at yourself. What can I improve on me this week to make sure that at the weekend I can do my job?
"I've just switched off from football."
For Wilson, the arrival of Eddie Howe sees him link up with his former Bournemouth boss at St James' Park.
Fellow host on the podcast, Michail Antonio, joked that Wilson had his "Daddy" back at Newcastle after his recent reunion with Howe.
Wilson laughed, before replying: "Listen, people say is it good to have your dad back, the thing is for me as a striker I just do my job.
"Go out there, help my team do my job and score goals. The manager likes you because you're doing your job.
"We've built up a relationship and I only hear people saying 'Your daddy' this and that from players who haven't been playing under him or got binned under him, I'm like 'come on.'
"What's wrong with you? I do my job on the pitch and that's why managers like me, it's all that happened."
Wilson enjoyed the best form of his Premier League career under Howe, earning a call-up to the England International set-up and attracted the attention of Chelsea.
So, when the Newcastle players found out Howe was the man to take over at St. James' Park, who better to give an insight into the way the new boss would work.
"A new manager comes in and a lot of players are sceptical," said Wilson. "It means change and change isn't always good for people.
"When they knew it was Eddie, lads were asking me what his schedule was like, what his training was like and what he's like as a manager.
"You can give them an insight and all I reiterated was that it's going to be hard work.
"He came in and made his mark straight away. He let the lads know we'll be changing philosophy, styles of play and we want to be more front foot football really."
