Pressure

What do you define as pressure?

The Thesaurus defines pressure as: physical force, weight, demand, difficulty.

I define pressure as opportunity. Meaning, when I think of pressure, I think of my obligation to take advantage of situations to create a better opportunity for myself, family, or friends.

To me, real pressure is bigger than an individual moment in time to meet a deadline, make a phone call, or get a timely response. It is more about the big picture of the overall scheme of success.

For example:

In many jobs or professions, people are depended on to take care of their business in a timely and results oriented fashion. Basically, the success or failure of that individual is based over a specified / fixed period of time. That is all good. I have no issue with that.

The problem that occurs, however, is that companies / employers become so fixated on certain overall results, they begin to focus on all the small details creating unrealistic and false pressure situations for their employees.

The company goal is simply that if they focus on all the small minutia stuff the overall result will improve. They feel by doing this it will limit certain items slipping through the cracks thus creating a better final scenario. Typical increased pressure means more meetings, increased reports, more employer / employee performance reviews, etc.

What companies / employers either fail to realize or fail to care about is that this behavior of turning up the pressure on their employees actually has the reverse effect over a period of time.

Why?

• Continued increased pressure on everything numbs the employee to focusing any longer.


• Not allowing the employee to prioritize their own business to self generate pressure, creates an employee that will begin to no longer think as a business person and they will stop caring about the company.


• Micro Prioritizing false pressure will result in less efficiency when "true" pressure is needed.

If you are in a position that requires a disproportionate level of pressure, speak with your manager about your frustration. Bring a plan with you of how you can show them you are handling your business and you can self generate your own urgency / pressure when needed.

If you are self employed or in a little more loose sales environment focus on the end results. Create a clear picture for yourself of how you can benefit in the future by creating your own pressure. Focus on the details, but only in the capacity that your future accomplishments are enhanced by it.

Simply put, don't expend vital mental energy on items that do not lead to future results.

Understand what you expend your mental energy on and re prioritize it if necessary. Wasted mental pressure on a continual basis is the largest factor of burn out and future give up. When you maximize your mental focus and mental pressure on the important items only, much better results will be received and your attitude will be improved as well.