How to Work Under Pressure

July 25, 2011|Tips At work| No comments yet

Working under pressure is one of the worst things imaginable. You’re already stressed because you have to work, and now you’re more stressed because there is pressure. Working under such grueling conditions can exasperate even the most noble soul, and there are steps you should take to work under pressure so you don’t just step right into it and take it as it comes. The results can be disastrous if you’re not prepared for it.

Some jobs have stress, pressure, and deadlines as a daily occurrence because of project updates, team changes, aggressive co-workers, unforeseen barriers, critical lapses and more. You may feel sidetracked because you have to stop to take care of them before pursuing the goal. Pressure usually amounts to problems with time, resources, task difficulties, and co-worker problems.

Maintaining control is essential so that emotions don’t cloud your judgment. You need to evaluate the issue clearly and resolve it and spot the underlying cause. Don’t jump to conclusions and act on the wrong issue because you could end up making worse. Determine the priority level of the issue and whether you really need to address it. You may be able to leave it alone for awhile and move on.

Spontaneous crises will require you to determine the issue and document all the circumstances, create a simple to-do list outline each step that needs to be taken, and then delegate or handle the tasks yourself. Any time you’re dealing with an issue for which no plan is outlined, write out all the information about the problem as quickly as you can so that no piece of information escapes your notice. You’ll be better able to address the problem with all the information.

One key facet of working under pressure is to remain calm. Soldiers on the battlefield know that panicking leads to death, and the trick is to remain rational no matter what is going on around you.

Another way to avoid stress is to break a project down into portions and work on it bit by bit. By attacking the problem piecemeal, you have a better chance of succeeding in the long-term.

Many high-paying jobs require you to work under pressure so it’s wise to be prepared to do this if you want to get a lucrative position.