What happens when high performers feel the pressure?
On average, pressure sucks. You can't convince me otherwise.
I'd venture to say, it's fairly unhealthy. Though, I'm not a doctor.
Strangely enough it's a selling factor for most jobs:
"Can perform under pressure."
"High pressure environment."
"Our pressure is the best pressure because it's fulfilling pressure."
And so on.
I get it. Pressure is inevitable in work and in life.
However, we should all keep in mind those Tik Tok Pressure Machine videos.
It is absolute proof that under constant pressure, quite literally everything explodes.
Breathing is key to your survival.
We tend to use our "me time" to decompress. However, that blocks us from enjoying the fruits of life. Barricading ourselves in our living rooms with a feel-good movie and glass of wine can feel like "just what the doctor ordered", but not everyday. Our 9 to 5 shouldn't impede that far into the other 16 hours of our lives.
However, when you live your life under constant pressure, that's exactly what happens. Your off time is spent thinking about what you have to do when you get back to the office. You have a hard time focusing on what's in front of you because your mind is moving onto the next important task. The gravity of the 'to do' list never seems to level out.
In those moments, it's important that you don't forget how to breathe. Remember that you're not curing cancer (unless that's your actual job) and you can walk away and focus on yourself for a moment. Take that time to reset, realign your priorities and come back to the task with clear eyes.
Otherwise, the pressure machine will come down without warning, and the stress bubble will explode.
About Rob:
Rob is the cofounder and head strategist at Abney Strategy. Rob brings over 16 years of experience creating marketing activations and leading teams, and uses his professional and personal background to help friends and clients navigate their own growth. Connect with Rob on Linkedin to read more about his journey.