Working under pressure is considered a skill by most employers. But isn't it, instead, a big mistake?
Last update: 24 March, 2022
The ability to work under pressure has gained in value in recent years. The pace at which the job market is evolving is high and many employers think the jobs we know today will look nothing like the ones we will have in a few years.
The question we ask ourselves is to what extent working under pressure is a skill or rather a desensitizing effect. We might ask ourselves if such a perspective is normalizing a situation which, while being real and operational, is nevertheless harmful.
Everyone has had to work under pressure. It is also obvious that those who respond best to this pressure have an advantage, or rather ends up. It is not clear, however, the extent to which long-term pressure affects and the adequacy of a job that exposes the employee to constant stress.
"The most powerful force under whose pressure we are sometimes forced to work is our own conscience."
-Lucian Blaga-
Working under pressure
To some extent, work always produces pressure. It requires effort and overcoming obstacles and problems. It involves the expenditure of energy, so it causes a certain level of tension. It is also clear that there are times or circumstances when this tension rises, just as there are others when it decreases.
It is important for anyone to learn how to work under pressure. In other words, learning to overcome the stress that arises from difficulties, fatigue or the presence of several stimuli at the same time. However, these aspects must not overwhelm the subject's ability to deal with them.
On the other hand, each person has a different tolerance to stress. Some get around it very well, while for others it is more difficult. Likewise, not all activities carry the same pressure. An emergency room doctor faces much more daily stress than a hairdresser.
In any case, just as there is pressure there is also a level of tolerability. If this is exceeded, an imbalance appears which could have negative consequences.
This level can be exceeded by a specific circumstance or by permanent effect. In these cases, working under pressure is no longer a skill, but a risk factor.
When the limit is exceeded
The effects of enduring a level of pressure that exceeds the person's tolerance threshold can be very negative. In the first place, causes destructive stress, a condition in which the demands of the environment exceed the individual's ability to respond to them.
Stress has consequences ranging from health conditions, such as migraines or indigestion, to mood effects that express themselves as short temper, sadness or frustration. If it lasts too long, the picture could get worse.
Excessive exertion can lead to work fatigue. This constitutes a serious condition that compromises the person's physical and mental health.
The most worrying aspect is that once present it is irreversible. The aforementioned state can permanently block the ability to work.
Establish healthy limits
Working under pressure is a skill if it happens within reasonable limits. What is sought is to carry out demanding tasks in a short time and with good results.
The pressure comes from the difficulty of the activity and the limited time available. If achieved, there is a noticeable increase in productivity.
We know that the limit has been exceeded when the results of the task are not adequate, especially if this happens frequently. It does not mean that you are unable to complete the task, but rather that it may take longer and perhaps a new method to complete it successfully.
It is also clear that working under pressure is not a good idea when it results in constant stress or in physical ailments, despite the successful completion of work. In short, when work affects physical or mental health, it must be reconsidered.
It is good to learn to work under pressure, but it is best not to lose sight of the effects this has on health and quality of life. In particular, it is important not to become numb to what one experiences. Otherwise, this stops being a skill and becomes a problem.
