Having worked in both corporate and retail arenas, I’m not unfamiliar with the stress that working under pressure can bring.
At present, I have another pressure due to the discomfort of managing my week while there is incompetence around as a extension is being built. Some will know what pressure this is! However, resilience is the key.
Losing your temper with the person who caused the pressure helps no one and certainly doesn’t contribute to a workable resolve. Some thrive on deadlines and the pressures this brings while others struggle.
The solution is not to allow it to impact on you emotionally but step away from the situation looking in on it logically. This sounds like an easy option but when you are caught up in the event, it may be difficult to think this way. Negative thinking adds fuel to self-doubt which in turn, adds further emotional pressure.
However, we cannot always avoid these negative impacts such as an overbearing boss/colleague/partner, dealing with rejection or the wonder that business politics brings to the situation. Here are some useful tips that I have found to help me get through the extension problem, grrr.
1. Fix what you can, acknowledge what you can’t: Although it would be nice to be Dr. Who, the reality is there are only 24 fixed hours in a day and you can’t drift forward and back in your Tardis. As a consequence, we try to cram too much in the allotted time.
We then announce to ourselves and anyone who listens, how busy we are. This in turn piles on the stress levels and so the spiral continues.
To help with this, take some valuable time out. Allow a sense of quiet to engulf your mind. Assess what tasks you have to accomplish and ask “what of this ‘Truly’ matters?” with regards reaching your responsibilities or end goal and what can wait?
Once accomplished, prioritise your priorities and set realistic goals (S.M.A.R.T)
2. Identify your stressors: Start to analyse when your calm(er) state gets affected. Is it a person? Unexpected tasks? Time of day? A regular event? Etc. Recognise how you react when this happens. Chat to others and get a different perspective. Set time aside to relax or exercise of which the argument I often hear is “I don’t have time”. You do if you make it with the return being clarity, reduced stress and a calmer mindset.
3. Manage your time before time manages you: We all have a better time of day. Some like early morning, others after lunch. Mine is late at night (I’m odd!) but whatever time suits you best, do the most important tasks then. Create a to-do list and acknowledge completing each as it comes off the list. Take breaks to gather your thoughts.
4. Accept the things you can’t change: There are things that you are more than capable of achieving and other events you are probably unable to do anything about. I have found that understanding and accepting this allows me more peace of mind and acceptance.
This is but a start and Coaching to Success can help you manage pressure to avoid stress and the dangers that this can bring. We can help you turn the tables to help you move away from the fray, rather than asking ourselves, as a line from the aforementioned song goes “Can’t we give ourselves one more chance”, yes, we can by contacting Neil at neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk or 07761 187238 to arrange a free consultation on how Coaching to Success can help you.
Having read this, why not check out Neil too by watching our YouTube video HERE.
