18 Ways To Get Better At Working Under Pressure

Post written by

Forbes Coaches Council



Since stress is unavoidable, it's important to learn how to channel and deal with it in a healthy, productive way. In doing so, you'll not only survive tough situations, but thrive in spite of them.


Members of Forbes Coaches Council offer their top tips for working under pressure.

All images courtesy of Forbes Councils members.

1.Start Predicting And Planning For Crunch Times

You know you - and your business. To work better under pressure, take 10 minutes to identify "crunch times." Crunch times consist of an intense, overwhelming period of work. Consider what you can outsource in advance of your crunch time with a VA, contractor, colleague or team, and then execute it. Expect some A/B testing before this runs well and helps move you forward. - Caroline StokesFORWARD Human Capital Solutions 

2. Create A Prioritization Strategy

Assess each task on your list. Is the task important to you? Will it relieve pressure or clear space in your day? Does it move you or your company forward? If not, ask whether you can delegate to someone else, or if that task can be postponed or eliminated. Give yourself permission to say no to incoming tasks that don't meet your prioritization criteria so you can say yes to better things. - Erica McCurdyMcCurdy Solutions Group, LLC / DBA McCurdy Life Coach, LLC 

3. Forget The Future, Focus On The Present

One way to be better under pressure is to pull back, slow down and stop thinking about the future deadline or work that needs to be done. Make a quick checklist of the three things you need to do next towards the deadline and do them. Courage is about taking the next hard step; it's about being present and moving forward in the face of fear and uncertainty. - Aaron LevyRaise The Bar Consulting 

4. Break Your Tasks Down

Any project or task can seem overwhelming when looked at as a whole. It's critical to break it down into milestones or steps that can be easily attained. When you look at these individual steps, you can more readily meet goals and feel a sense of accomplishment. Seeing yourself completing the project also builds confidence in giving yourself a system to use. - Laura DeCarloCareer Directors International 


5. Ask Yourself What Needs To Be Done Right Now

Under a deadline - or in a river, as Sun Tzu of The Art of War would say - ask yourself, "What needs to be done now?" When the stakes are high, roll up your sleeves and focus on the most important tasks. Bogged in a marsh? Get outside help. Traverse the valleys and mountains, the downs and ups, until you get to the flat plains, where you can equally see behind you and what's in front of you. - Judi Rhee AllowayImagine Leadership LLC 

6. Stop Procrastinating

Pressure almost always comes because you have failed to prioritize and act. You likely procrastinated and now are paying the price. Procrastination is simply a habit and can be broken. First, ask yourself what you are resisting. Then see if you can give up your resistance and simply act. Interrupting the procrastination habit frequently will lead to a new and more empowering habit of execution. - Janet ZaretskyThe Zenith Business 

7. Take Contrary Action With Purposeful Slacking

When under pressure, our first response is to work harder and grind through it. But you can't get out of the problem by doing what got you into the problem. Take contrary action by creating a daily habit of pushing away from your work for 15 minutes or more of "purposeful slacking." Walk, stretch, breathe, meditate, be still ... and allow yourself mental and emotional freedom from all the pressure. - Nancy MarmolejoTalentAndGenius.com 

8. Change How You Think About Pressure

The hardest part of working under pressure is coping with the perception of pressure. More often than not, we worry about some imaginary catastrophe that never happens, and that tends to render us powerless. Focus on one aspect of the task at a time, instead of looking at it in its totality. If you make a list of every step and use a "paint-by-numbers" approach, you'll be fine. - Dave Anderson, The Business Bully Show

9. Try The Eisenhower Model

When facing multiple, competing, high-priority tasks, start by determining which of these tasks need immediate attention and get clarity on the deadlines for each. Then use The Eisenhower Model, which consists of four easy steps to prioritize each: (1) urgent and important;  (2) important but not urgent; (3) urgent but not important; (4) neither urgent nor important. Perform the urgent and immediate tasks first. Tasks that are not urgent with no priority fall off the list. It's an amazing way to ease the pressure. - Elva Bankins BaxterBankins Consulting, Inc. 

10. Make It A Fun Challenge

People get overwhelmed and procrastinate when they perceive high-pressure moments as a threat. It causes lack of confidence, bad judgment, and as a result, the fear of failure. When you see it as a fun project instead, you can relax, make a step-by-step plan, and take control. Let yourself be stimulated by the new opportunity, and activate a creative thinking to stay focused on the task at hand. - Asha Mankowska MA, Esq.Your Favorite Business Coach 

11. Review Past Pressure Points And Identify Patterns

Time is a commodity we can't get back, but we can manage it so it doesn't manage us. Take control by reviewing past pressure points, identify patterns and lessons learned, then develop a prevention strategy to prevent reoccurrence and mitigate the unexpected risk factors. Plan using the "big rocks" concept to maximize your efforts and minimize stress. - Tameka WilliamsonCelestial & Associates Consulting 

12. Use Pressure As An Opportunity To Grow

The more you find yourself being pushed to the wall, the better you become at pushing back. It's a natural human tendency! The more you push back, the more your energy expands. When that happens, your horizons broaden and your perception changes dramatically. Working under pressure seems like a challenge too tempting to resist. - Anjali ChughCosmique Global Inc 

13. Separate Internal Pressure From External Pressure

Pressure actually brings urgency into getting things done. Look at the signals you get from peers, managers, and friends that indicate the pressure is up. You cannot change the conditions, but you can certainly control your response. Instead of becoming stressed, look inside to assure yourself that what you are required to do under pressure is really needed, and you are making a difference. - Tmima GrinvaldThe Round Well 

14. Adopt A Mindfulness Practice

Adopting a mindfulness practice improves your ability to remain calm under pressure. This practice increases flexibility, adaptability, creativity, focus and calmness. There are several apps you can download; one I recommend to my clients is Headspace. Ten minutes a day is all you need to coach yourself to remain calm and focused, especially when faced with challenges and adversity. - Melinda Fouts, Ph.D.Success Starts With You 

15. Rediscover Your Purpose For Completing The Task

When working under pressure, the best way to ensure the greatest output of your energy is to understand the purpose of the task at hand. For instance, if you are growing your business and the pressure of a client's demands are becoming overbearing, remember that you are building a legacy, not a business. Your fight or flight instincts will kick in, and you will complete the task more efficiently. - Jeff ShufordTech From Vets 

16. Expect The Unexpected

I once heard someone say: “Nothing brings out the best in us like the last minute!” Hence, coaching ourselves to work better under pressure involves striving to avoid procrastination. At the same time, we need to stay in anticipation. Develop the mental readiness for tasks by learning to expect the unexpected. Like a tea kettle, we can develop the capacity to handle, manage and control pressure! - Eddie TurnerEddie Turner LLC 

17. Get A Good Night's Sleep

In her book, The Sleep Revolution, Ariana Huffington suggests that getting adequate and restorative sleep is key to healthily facing our fast-paced, time crunched lives. Some of the health benefits of good sleep that help you under pressure include improved memory, more stamina, increased focus, sharper attention, and lowered stress. Reap these benefits by trying a 30-night good sleep challenge. - Alexandra SalamisIntegral Leadership Design 

18. Develop And Stick To A Routine

There is divine objectivity in the "routine" of things. Runners who train for marathons and diligently adhere to daily practice are most likely to cross the finish line. Routine builds lasting character and allows you to hone in on every project's scope with clarity on a daily basis. Adopt a "Success Schedule" - it will prepare you to cleverly tackle any hidden possibilities that may come your way. - Rachel Lourdes MestreRachel Mestre LLC 
