What It Takes to Succeed Under Pressure

Everyone experiences stress. It can come from any part of life – personal or professional. Developing methods to cope with, and manage, stress is key to a person’s long-term success. These tips can help you stay calm and prevent stressful situations from getting the best of you.

1.    Identify it.

The first step in managing stress is identifying it. Recognize the situation for what it is, but don’t let it affect you.

2.    Control what you can.

The most difficult part of a stressful or high-pressure situation is feeling like not much is in your control. But even when you can’t control what is happening around you, you can always control yourself. The effects of stress on the body are well-known. These fight or flight responses can cloud your decision-making and make you less effective.

To counteract these responses, slow yourself down. Relax your shoulders and take long, deep breaths. You’ll find your thoughts become clearer and more objective.

3.    Don’t react.

Pause and take an extra moment to form a clear idea of what you want to say, don’t succumb to the pressure to react. Manage your emotions to avoid saying something you don’t mean. Most importantly, don’t answer before you know the answer. Better to be late and right, than on-time and wrong.

4.    Focus on what really matters.

Don’t let a stressful situation paralyze you. Take a step back and try to figure out what matters most. Simplify problems down to the two or three things that will determine the outcome.

Following these strategies for managing stressful situations can help increase your productivity and perform well under pressure.