Pressure Management is an intervention that refers to a collection of strategies and techniques that have the common purpose of reducing, minimizing and riding the negative effects of pressure in diverse settings such as work, school, marriage, family and sports. Here are some points that will further your understanding of the emerging science of pressure management.
1. In its purest form, pressure is a physical force. You feel physical pressure, for example, when your physician presses on a particular part of your body. Pressure can be exerted downwards, sideways, or upwards, and can take different forms like liquids and gases. The more targeted the pressure, the stronger the force.
2. Psychological pressure shares similar properties with physical pressure. It can be exerted downwards by parents, sideways through peer pressure, or upwards by employees towards a CEO. Psychological pressure comes in various forms such as peer pressure, parental pressure, relationship pressure, and social media pressure. Again, the more specific the pressure, the stronger its impact. For instance, when parents focus intensely on their teens’ academic performance, the teen feels pressure to achieve good grades.
3. All types of pressure have a function. One is that pressure acts as nature’s selection mechanism, determining who advances and who falls behind. In early human history, individuals who could handle the daily pressure of finding food and water survived, while those who couldn’t were weeded out. Similarly, pressure motivates individuals to perform their best to avoid failure and potential extinction. Understanding the functions of different types of pressure helps us manage it effectively and leverage its benefits.
4. Pressure management interventions differ depending on the specific type of pressure context. Managing pressure in performance moments, such as tests or job interviews, requires distinct interventions compared to reducing parental pressure or for preventing athletic choking. However, the common goal of all pressure management processes is to minimize and transform pressure’s force, ensuring it doesn’t undermine performance, wellness, or relationships.
5. Primal pressure refers to moments when we perceive a situation as a do-or-die moment, similar to early humans facing life-threatening challenges. However, in modern times, failing a test, giving a poor presentation, or missing a penalty kick may feel like life-or-death situations, but they are not. The belief that failure in such moments will lead to the end of our lives is a primal pressure thought, rooted in our ancestors’ survival instincts. Responding to everyday tasks with a primal pressure mindset can hinder our performance, drain our psychological resources and downgrade our wellness.
6. Stress and pressure are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct differences. For example, stress occurs when the demands placed on us exceed our resources to cope, leading to feelings of exhaustion, irritability, Pressure, on the other hand, arises from important situations with uncertain outcomes that depend on our performance. To deal with stress requires reducing stressful feelings whereas, to deal with pressure moments requires successful task performance. Stress triggers the fight-or-flight response, which can be useful or detrimental, while pressure does not offer any benefits, unless you consider motivating via fear healthy. Importantly, stress is inherent in every pressure moment, but pressure is not inherent in every stressful moment unless you merge the two.
7. Today, people experience more pressure than ever before, largely due to global competition. Increased competition, whether in university admissions or job markets, intensifies the pressure to excel. As a result, students feel greater pressure to achieve top grades and test scores, and job applicants face heightened pressure during interviews. The pursuit of top schools, jobs, and entrepreneurial success will only amplify the pressure individuals experience.
8. Studies conducted worldwide consistently show that pressure negatively impacts performance, relationships, and mental health. Recognizing these adverse effects is the driving force behind developing pressure management strategies.
9. A crucial insight in pressure management is that nobody performs better under pressure. The key is not to rise to the occasion (as depicted in movies), but rather to avoid performing worse than our best. A “C” student on test day won’t miraculously rise to the occasion unless they resort to cheating. Test prep companies and counselors can attest that many “A” students may “choke” and perform significantly below their capabilities when they strive to do their best. Pressure management acknowledges that we can’t surpass our best, and doing anything less removes us from the game. The aim is to perform to our capabilities without doing worse than our best, as often our best is sufficient.
10. Pressure management offers various interventions to counteract the negative effects of pressure. One such intervention is “pressure solutions,” which are highly accessible actions that can be applied before, during, and after pressure moments. Pressure solutions help develop a “pressure-reducing mindset,” enabling individuals to remain cool, calm and collected when it matters most. Building one’s COTE of Armor is an intervention that fosters within you the natural combatants of pressure: Confidence, Optimism, Tenacity, and Enthusiasm. Pressure transformations assist parents and managers in converting pressure from a negative force into a positive source of guidance, motivation, and support. Athletes benefit from an innovative procedure within Pressure Management that immunizes them against choking under pressure. Pressure Management encourages individuals to develop their unique strategies for managing pressure effectively.
11. It’s important to differentiate between pressure management and pressure training. Pressure training involves simulating pressure situations, such as those encountered in specific professions like medicine or sports. Athletes, for example, may practice with distractions or intensify competition during training to acclimate to pressure and enhance their performance during actual competitions. In the context of pressure management, pressure training is considered a pressure solution— practice under pressure.
12. An abundance of studies in the context of work settings, athletic competitions, academic performance, and parenting clearly shows that pressure management advances your life.
