Time and Pressure

There is an old saying that goes, "one man's meat is another man's poison." When you're talking about pressure, the saying is, "One man's pressure is another man's motivator." A situation that puts pressure on one person might be a creative challenge to another. It all depends on how you look at it.

In this high-energy, got-to-get-it-done-yesterday world, it's almost impossible not to feel the pressure crunch every once in a while. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. As a writer, I know a lot about pressure. I'm constantly under one deadline or another, often several deadlines at once. That kind of pressure can affect you in two ways: It can make you skip over or skimp on details and do a sloppy job—or it can force you to focus your attention to the task at hand and work even harder to get it done and done well.

There are, of course, people who constantly procrastinate—who wait until the last minute to start projects and then complain about all the pressure under which they're working. They claim they work best under pressure. This is not always true, nor is always the best way to work. Too much pressure can cause both physical and mental exhaustion. If you're someone who feels that waiting until the last minute helps you work, try to analyze what it is about those conditions that make you feel that way. Perhaps it's the sense of urgency that spurs you forward. Perhaps the pressure gives you a burst of adrenaline you feel you need to get the job done. Perhaps it's the feeling of accomplishment (real or not) that you get from finishing the job despite the stress.

Whatever the reason, try to find a sense of balance in keeping pressure at bay. Create a time line when you start a project. Give yourself mini-deadlines to meet. Lay out the time for planning, the time for research and preparation, and the time for outlining the necessary steps. Then be sure to give yourself enough time not only to complete the project, but to double-check it at the end so you're sure everything has been done. This kind of time management can help maintain your sanity and relieve a lot of stress.

Too little pressure can result in boredom and frustration. Too much pressure can result in burnout. In the middle ground, when pressure is present but not overwhelming, you are challenged, stimulated, alert, creative, and decisive.

Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.

—Norman Vincent Peale,
author and clerygyman