Do you ever feel like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders? Or, at the very least the weight of the people around you?
Nothing weighs you down like pressure and too much of it is likely to leave you feeling frustrated, angry, and sad. In extreme cases, you may find yourself bubbling over and knocked out by overwhelm and burnout.
It isn't just work deadlines that get you, it can also be financial obligations and the burden of daily life.
Money, in particular, is a rising cause of anxiety and stress for many people. Combined with the stress of excessive working hours, a lack of control and support, and it's no wonder so many people are feeling under pressure.
We all react differently to pressure, some people swear it makes them perform better while others recognize the damage it can do to their performance.
It is much easier to remain focused on a task when you're calm. So, let's look t five effective ways to deal with pressures in life.
1. It's The Process, Not The Outcome
Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is detach from the outcome and remain focused on the work that you are doing.
It is much easier to live your potential if you remove the obstacles you face mentally.
If you focus on the process, rather than the outcome, it will reduce the likelihood of performance anxiety.
2. Organize
How do you organize your day? How do you manage your thoughts? You can't store it all in your head.
The best way to deal with thoughts and responsibilities is to have an external organization system.
It might be that you write out a daily to-do list, it could be that you prefer a digital calendar.
Whatever it is – it removes the pressure of memorizing everything you have to do and worrying about forgetting something.
Your list is your bible and will serve as a reminder for everything you need to do or deal with. You will notice a serious dip in the pressure you carry.
3. Deal With Negative Thoughts
If you struggle with negative thoughts this will only add to the pressure you feel. One of the ways you can manage these thoughts is through re-framing them.
When you are faced with a negative thought, start by putting things into perspective. As frantic worry starts to overtake you, stop and remind yourself that no matter what it is you're faced with that you can handle it.
It's not the end of the world, work through it by deciding your next steps – first, I'm going to do x and then I'll do y, and do this until you have successfully reframed your thoughts and empowered yourself.
4. Know Your Limits
Your brain can only keep it all together for so long. So, if you're dealing with tens of thousands of thoughts daily (you are), as well as a list of things to do, and a glut of problems, your brain can only maintain for so long.
Understand that your brain has limitations and start going easy on yourself. Be realistic. Do not expect to carry all of the solutions all of the time. You literally can't.
5. Breathe Through It
When you are faced with a crisis, too much pressure or you feel overwhelmed, press pause and breathe through it.
Count to ten as you inhale deeply and exhale and allow yourself a moment to clear your brain of worries.
Let your mind have enough time to recalibrate so you relieve some of that pressure and allow yourself to think more clearly to deal with the problem at hand.
