Why thriving under pressure doesn’t mean accepting high levels of stress

According to the Mental Health Foundation, in 2018 74% of adults felt so stressed at some point over the previous year that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. And a recent study revealed that 65% of people have felt more stressed since COVID-19 restrictions began in March 2020.

Today’s modern workplace has come a long way in championing a positive work-life blend and mental well-being, but our hyper-connected world is often conducive to feelings of stress and many industries still foster high-pressure working environments that can lead to burnout. One of the most effective ways to cope with stress is to work on building our resilience. However, a common misconception is that in order to be resilient and thrive under pressure, we need to face extreme challenges and learn to push through high levels of stress, which simply isn’t the case. In fact, in a recent IGTV coaching video, I delve into this very topic:

The pressure and performance curve

Prolonged stress has been known to contribute to factors such as heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety and memory problems. Although a certain level of pressure is necessary to motivate us and push us to grow, too much pressure is detrimental. According to a paper by Mark D. Seery, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University at Buffalo, SUNY, experiencing some adversity builds resilience and can increase our ability to manage well in future stressful situations, compared to experiencing no adversity at all or high adversity. A number of studies support this - for example, research carried out with children showed that those who experience some stressors in early life are better at dealing with challenges and change later in life because they’ve learned the skills necessary to do so. Similarly, research in the world of veterans has found that people who have been on the periphery of combat - rather than in direct combat or completely removed from it - are more likely to have improved psychological functioning later.

Without any exposure to adversity or pressure, our resilience doesn’t have an opportunity to develop; too much however will overwhelm us and can actually end up having a negative impact on our resilience levels. A good way to think about it is like going to the gym - we need to exert ourselves and push our bodies if we want to improve our fitness, build muscle or increase flexibility for example. If we don’t do any exercise at all, we won’t see the desired results. Overexerting ourselves however, can be harmful to our bodies or even cause injury.?

The same thing can be said of building resilience. When we have a certain amount of manageable pressure, it stretches our abilities, encourages us to think outside the box, and teaches us to deal with challenges, which can help prepare us for potentially difficult situations in the future. The right amount of pressure hones our problem-solving skills and builds confidence in our ability to figure things out and find solutions - a core component of resilience. Even when we feel like we’re failing, we can usually take something from our experiences that we can apply to other situations down the line, such as how we face adversity and what we can do to improve. The more we learn to deal with pressure, and the more challenges we face, the more we can use that to bounce forward, learn new skills, approach things differently and think more flexibly. This is why it’s important to factor in a certain amount of pressure when you’re looking to build your resilience.?

Mitigating stress

However, it’s also important to mitigate stress so that it’s not negatively affecting us or hindering both our work and our personal lives. This can involve making sure we’re taking care of ourselves by eating well and getting enough sleep and exercise; ensuring we have a support network to turn to; and working on our mindset - all important aspects of resilience. When the problem is due to an excessive workload, speaking to a manager about how best to manage responsibilities can help - but if you’re struggling with mental health, you should reach out to a professional for guidance.?

To learn more resilience-boosting techniques, tools and practices, my free “10 Days of Resilience” coaching programme provides a toolbox of ten exercises to create a strong, flexible and resilient mindset. In honour of Stress Awareness Month 2021, the Stress Management Society also has a number of great tips, links and other resources to combat stress and for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

Thriving under pressure

Where is your sweet spot of using pressure to boost your performance?

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