Working Under Pressure -5 Simple Tips To Thrive in Your Home Business!
Yesterday, I watched the Rugby World Cup Quarter Final between Ireland and Wales. As a Welshman I am proud to say that Wales won and now have the honour of playing in the Semi finals for the first time since 1987. The game made me realise how well Wales have adapted to working under pressure.
Both Ireland and Wales have received many plaudits for their style of play throughout the tournament and many have predicted that the winner of this particular game would go on to the final and the likely match-up with New Zealand. Sure there are lots of if’s, but’s and maybe’s between that happening but this is sport and that is the way it goes.
When Ireland where in possession of the ball, Wales were so quick to put the Irish under pressure. Ireland had less time to make important decisions and those snap decisions had to be made while a 200Kg man is bulldozing your ribcage with his shoulder!
When tackled your primary objective is to retain possession of the ball and then recycle the ball so your team mates can continue on the offensive. Now that sounds quite simple, but in reality when you have 3 or 4 super athletes all weighing 200 kilos plus trying to rip the ball from your grasp it suddenly becomes a lot harder and yesterday Wales were better working under pressure than Ireland.
Business constantly throws up new challenges. Challenges that require you to hang on to the ball, and maintain momentum while you are being battered from all angles. Each situation you face requires you to react differently when working under pressure and it is how you cope under that pressure that makes the difference between a successful entrepreneur and failed business owner.
When I am up against it I quite often find myself cursing myself, cursing the computer, cursing whatever is in my eye line at the time. Is this the best strategy to react under pressure? Probably not! At the time it feels good but does it actually get me anywhere? Does it provide momentum? No!
Each and every one of us copes differently when working under pressure, here are a few tips to make sure that when the going gets tough, you get going!
Learn to juggle the ball.
Work life balance can be very tricky to get right however you need to have the right mix for your sanity, if nothing else. Make sure if you are working hard that you treat yourself or you have something to look forward to at the end.
Focus and lock on to one thing at a time.
Take jobs on in order and plan ahead. If you are sharing your energy between three or four tasks at a time you lose focus, then you miss the deadline for three of four tasks, and the pressure increases. Get yourself a daily method of operation and stick to it, so you know what has to be done and when. Sure, new things will be added each and every day but rank them in order of importance and tackle number one first.
Learn when to say no
You cannot take on the world on your own. You are not Superhuman, there are certain things that you cannot do. If you have a team that is demanding of your time, then instead of bowing to the pressure and adding to your considerable workload, make your team accountable. After all you can take a horse to water but you cannot force them to drink.
Be Game Ready
Put some time in your diary to work on your physical fitness, even if it is only 20 minutes walking around the block. Physical exercise gets the adrenaline flowing, keeps you fit and gives you valuable time to think about how you are going to complete the next task. Keeping sharp physically will mean that you can tackle bigger obstacles, give yourself more thinking time to keep hold of the ball.
Have a Laugh
Transfer the tension and pressure into humour. Laugh at yourself, have a laugh with your friends or work colleagues. Everyone likes to have a laugh. You will soon realise that there is a lot more to life and it will help you repurpose your energies to getting the task at hand completed.
Having the ability to thrive when working under pressure is paramount for anyone; business leaders, sports professionals, work at home moms, entrepreneurs. It doesn’t matter what you do or how you do it what does matter is that when faced with stiff opposition you don’t crumble under pressure. Instead you channel that pressure into breaking the tackle, reaching the try line and winning the game.
About
James Debono is a small business owner and Internet entrepreneur. James dedicates his time to helping other small business owners leverage the power of the Internet to drive business growth and positive change. Click here Join James Debono on Google+
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