Raise your hands if you have ever said “I work well under pressure!” It’s such an overused statement, I can guarantee most of us have said it at some point, during an interview or to our friends when describing the pressures of work. Do you really work well under pressure?
Do you really know how to work well under pressure or are you just saying that because it makes you sound good. Either way, it is something that we all face, no matter how well you think you cope with pressure there will always be a point where you’re under too much pressure and you feel close to a burnout. Here are a few good steps on what to do when under pressure
1. Relax
When under pressure the best thing to do is stop what you are doing and relax. Yes, it sounds simple, and we repeat it a lot, but the more relaxed you are the less likely you are to make any errors and the more likely you are to focus. Why not take a relaxing bath with lots of Lavender like L’Occitane’s Harvest Foaming Bath when you’re at home. It’s the ultimate way to unwind after a long and busy day.
2. Visualize
See yourself completing your tasks or the actions you need to. Once you visualize yourself checking things off a mental list, it will calm your nerves and build your confidence.
‘Complete all your tasks’
3. See it as a challenge
Don’t see working under pressure as a threat but as a challenge. When you view this as a challenge you will give it your best effort in order to deliver the best you possibly can. Plus when you complete all your tasks you’ll feel as though you completed a tough challenge and deserve a reward, rather than you worked hard for something that stressed you out.
4. Remember past success
This will automatically build confidence in you. Reminding yourself that you’ve done it before and can do it again will help reduce stress about the workload you have. Plus when you complete your tasks, you’ll have another success to add to the list!
5. Slow down
This is quite similar to the first statement but if you can’t stop to relax then do slow down. At times when you work too fast you don’t think as clear as you normally would, you tend to act before you think and miss certain steps. Slow it all the way down…
‘Let out the pressure’
6. Talk to someone
Letting out the pressure through a conversation is a good release and also room for you to get feedback on the situation, so whether you moan at your friends or explain to your coworkers or your boss that you are feeling a little bit stressed and under pressure, someone will help you navigate your workload!
7. Take the pressure off
Sometimes the pressure we feel is actually pressure we’ve put on ourselves. We create imaginary deadlines and think that our boss will hate us if we don’t get something done straight away, or if we don’t hand in work that’s perfect and needs no feedback. Take the pressure off yourself and realize that you’re a human and you make mistakes.
Do you have any advice on what do when under pressure?