Some Tips for Handling Pressure Effectively

What would life be without pressure? I know some of us relish the thought of, for example, being on a sandy beach with a cold beverage in hand relaxing without a care in world. But how long do you think you would be happy doing that?

Some of you may be thinking: “A pretty darn long time!”

Eventually even in a relaxing scenario things would become stale. This is why some people, after they decide to retire, find themselves less content then when they were working. The pressure that they experienced during the time which they were involved in their careers of reaching for a goal has been removed. It is as though the all the air has been let out of a balloon.

If you think about a circumstance in your life, a time of significant change or accomplishment, and take a look under the covers, you’ll find that there is always some pressure involved. In essence, the key to a successful, vibrant life is what you do with pressure!

So how does one handle pressure effectively in order not to feel overwhelmed or allow it to become stressful? I have jotted down a few tips which may be of assistance the next time you find yourself in a situation when pressure starts to build:

• Accept the circumstance just as it is. Most circumstances by themselves are neutral. It is what we make them into, and often our reactions which are worst than the circumstance itself. In contrast, stress occurs when a challenge is so far beyond the current experience it becomes overwhelming.
• Don’t react. If you react, who is in control? The moment you react you give away your control. When you are dejected, feeling badly done by, what can you possibly do with the situation? You are being subject to that which you give your feelings to, and are not in position to make a change or act in a way to take advantage of and leverage the pressure.
• Do not struggle. It is a waste of energy. It is much better to access the situation and see where you can act effectively. The first key to managing pressure is to keep your perspective. When you have perspective, you have the ability to zoom in on the details and handle them effectively and then zoom out and look at the whole picture.
• Relax with the limitations. Every circumstance will have its starting points and some will (and often do) come with limitations. With those limitations we need learn to relax. Let the unripe cycles be. An analogy to think about is growing vegetables or fruit. You would not pick a tomato growing in your garden when it was the size of a marble and as green as pea, would you? No, you relax—carefully keep your eye on things, aware of what is unfolding and when the time is right, selecting the ripe bounty to pick.
• Observe opportunities. Everyone has opportunities; the key is being able to recognize them. Rather than looking for what you can get, one should be looking for points where you can do or give something. It is always counterproductive to fuss about what you cannot do. Rather than looking at the lacks and voids, look for the areas of possibility. Take the time to explore new avenues, and most of all, have the attitude of a thankful heart.

See Pressure for what it is. Embrace it and know that nothing can truly be achieved without it. Handling pressure effectively will allow for you to get forward progress in all endeavors in your life.