Under Pressure to deliver

News of the ongoing strike by lecturers in universities across the country coming to an end was spreading yesterday and I’m yet to validate this but it got me worried. My project has been left untouched since I got home, I don’t even know where my drawing is. This got me worried. If truly the strike is over, then I’ll have to do everything within one week or two at most. I know I can do it but I feel I’m just giving myself unnecessary pressure with my nonchalant attitude.

However, based on experience, I think I perform better under pressure when the stakes are high and it looks impossible. I’m feeling like some superheroes. This got me thinking of a programme I attended some time back. We were taught how to write a CV and I can remember how everyone kept writing “I work well under pressure” as one of their best traits. We all think so until we land the job.

How do you perform under pressure?

It's that question that recruiters or HRs love asking when hiring people for any job, but for some people, the question is much more than a mere statement.

These are the people who are not only able to perform under pressure but excel at it.

Recently my little cousin and his friend came home from school with an assignment to create a short video to enter in a contest. My Sis-in-law decided to help them with it while I watch the drama. This assignment was due the next day.

Without giving it much thought she jumped on board the project and started shooting away. I couldn’t help but watch in awe. I think mother instinct was at play there. What am I trying to say? One of the things that determine how well one performs under pressure is the Love one has for the project or person involved.

I love pressure – it helps me to focus better, be more creative and work smarter, faster and more effectively. Working under pressure can be tough but to some people, it isn't. They perform better when put under pressure to deliver before a specific deadline. These are the people who are not only able to perform under pressure but excel at it. They achieve great results; they work fast, they're dedicated and they succeed in completing their set objectives. Some of these people like myself have been lucky enough not to have ever faced real stress – we're so comfortable with our lives that we don't feel pressured. But that doesn’t make procrastination a good thing.

The term pressure is used in different contexts in life. In a marriage, pressure can be used as a way to make things right in a relationship. If a husband or wife is unhappy with something the other one does, they can bring it up and talk about it but if the person doesn't change then they have some pressure, or stress, on them to make the necessary changes. If they are working on a big project and haven't reached their deadline yet, they may be working late or staying at work longer until they have done what they need to do.

Whether we like it or not, people are always going to put some kind of pressure on us to do something and meet their expectations towards us. Not meeting their expectations can lead to bigger negative situations for both parties involved.

The major reason why most people work under pressure is for the money. However, other reasons motivate a person to work under pressure. As a Cost engineer, I have always worked under pressure. This is because I do my job very well and I take pride in what I do. There are times when there are tight deadlines for one to deliver. This would give rise to a lot of pressure at work because if you fail to deliver on time then the company will be forced to fine you for it. This can be stressful but if you know how to manage your time well and prioritize what needs to be done first then it would be less stressful and more manageable.

Thanks for Reading! 🤦💚🥲

I didn’t know what to write today and I was under pressure to write something. So I did! 😀