Working Under Pressure

The first reaction most people have to the idea of working under pressure is dread. We’ve all been there, caught between a rock and a hard place with the need to deliver. There are people who can work under pressure quite well. Some even thrive on it. The ability to work under pressure is a learned skill that has one overarching goal: Relief from feeling overwhelmed so you can focus and engage the work efficiently.

Avoid obsessing over the large task at hand. Instead, break it into parts and give each part a mini-deadline. Eliminate all potential distractions. Not doing so will ratchet up the pressure more. Use clocks, timers, or other devices to keep yourself moving and on track, but decide the most critical chunk of work you must do first. Start with what’s urgent and important. Schedule short breaks at specific times, even if they are only five minutes. These will help pull you through the stages of work faster. View a high-pressure work situation as a challenge to beat a deadline. This strategy produces energy and a competitive spirit with your deadline. Learn about yourself under pressure and how you respond to it. Take steps in the future to avoid procrastination, if it played a role.

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Keith Stein | 5/9/2019