Top tips to deal with pressure

Stress vs pressure - what's the difference?

You might hear people say they work in a ‘high-pressure environment’ or are ‘have a really stressful job’ and sometimes, use both to describe the same situation.  But are pressure and stress the same?

Pressure describes the demands that are put on us, both in our home lives and at work. This could be everything from making sure we get the kids to school on time to reaching deadlines or targets at work.  The amount of pressure we are under can fluctuate and most of the time our pressure levels are fine.

We all need a certain amount of pressure to be effective at home and work. If we don’t have enough pressure we can get bored or frustrated. Think of it like a tyre – it runs perfectly with the right pressure or runs flat without enough.

Stress happens when we have too much pressure. This can be lots of different pressures all at once or an event which tips us over from pressure to stress, such as an unexpected bill, something happens to someone we care about or extra hours at work to meet a deadline.  Think about it like a tyre or a balloon - add too much pressure and the stress can make it unstable or even burst.

Tips to deal with pressure

We all have pressure, those things we have to deal with every day – at home and work. Occasionally, we have additional one-off pressures like moving house or changing jobs.  Everyone has their own individual pressures and we all deal with them in different ways. Here are some tips to help you think about your pressures and some actions you can take to manage them effectively:

1. Understand your pressures
   Think about all of the pressures you have. It might be a help to jot them down.  Are there issues that come up regularly or is it a one-off situation that is worrying you? Acknowledging them, even if you can’t avoid them, can help you get prepared for them
   
   
2. Get organised
   Organising your time can help you feel more in control.  Make a list – getting things out of your head onto a list can help clear your mind and help you see things in black and white. Work through the most important thing first. Once you’ve completed it, the others will feel easier. Don’t forget to cross it off your list – it’s satisfying seeing that list shrink!
   
   
3. Take it slowly
   When we have lots of pressure and are getting stressed, we can find it hard to be productive or concentrate. Don’t try and do too much at once, give yourself time and concentrate on one thing at a time. Even if you don’t complete it all at once, recognise the progress you have made. It will make it less daunting to carry on next time
   
   
4. Vary your tasks
   We all have things we enjoy doing more than others, but we still have to do them!  Vary your tasks between those you like and those you don’t. This helps you stop putting things off or leaving them all to do at once
   
   
5. Accept things you cannot change
   There are some things or situations that we cannot change. Recognising this is not easy but, once you can, it means that you park them and put your efforts into the things you can do something about

If you’re struggling, get in touch. Call us on 08081 311 333 or chat with us online. You don’t have to do this alone - we've got your back.