Working Under Pressure

Beat at your best when it matters, Part II

What Happens to Your Mind and Body Under Pressure?

Some people like to think they do their best work under pressure. We do our best when the stakes are highest. Right? Wrong!

Several studies have shown just the opposite. Under pressure, we naturally play “not to lose” rather than to win. There is more emphasis placed on avoiding risk than doing excellent work. It’s natural to take an approach that will reduce the likelihood of failure and criticism. This isn’t the time that people pursue an outstanding result.

Safety becomes the target. Mediocrity is the result.

The Biology of Pressure

When your brain is faced with danger, even an imaginary danger, it begins a cascade of physiological responses to prepare for that danger.

Unfortunately, these responses are geared toward enhancing your ability to respond physically. You’re in a better physiological state to run or fight.

However, your ability to make wise decisions is significantly compromised. How many times have you made a decision that you regret under stress? In those moments, the instinct is to make a decision that will relieve the pressure as soon as possible. The long-term consequences are ignored.

It all starts in the hypothalamus, which is a structure located in the brain.

Two pathways are stimulated when you feel stressed:

• One leads to the production and release of corticoids. These chemicals allow the body to tap into the energy stored in the body.

• The other pathway involves adrenaline. This results in the shaky, jittery feeling you get before giving a speech. There are other signs of high adrenaline levels:

a. Increased heart rate

b. Increased blood pressure

c. Slowed digestion

d. Dry mouth

e. Increased sweating

f. Enhanced blood clotting

g. Increased muscle tension

h. Increased breathing rate

These are excellent responses to stress if you need to avoid being eaten by a saber tooth tiger or you’re attacked in an alley. However, they aren’t good responses if you’re not in physical danger.

Long-term stress is highly damaging to the body and brain tissue.

“A lot of directors don’t want the pressure of a movie the size of Pearl Harbor. But I love it. I thrive on it.” - Michael Bay

The Mind Under Pressure

The hormones and chemicals released into your bloodstream don’t just affect your body; they affect your mind, too.

The mind undergoes changes when dealing with pressure:

1. The instinct of self-preservation is also more reliable when under stress. People are far more likely to engage in selfish behaviors while under pressure.

2. Thinking becomes more short-term. Your brain wants relief now. You’re more likely to take the easy way out and feel better right now than to consider the long-term consequences.

3. The upside gets more attention than the downside when making decisions. For example, after a bad stretch at work, quitting becomes more attractive. More attention is paid to the upside of quitting than to the pitfalls of quitting and being without a job. When you’re happier at work, you’ll pay more attention to the negatives of quitting.

4. Stress reduces the brain’s ability to ignore distractions. This is part of the reason workers are more likely to make mistakes when under stress. It’s more challenging to stay focused on the work at hand.

5. Short-term memory, attention, and judgment are impaired. The likelihood of impulsive behavior is increased.

While it was believed that stress over-engages and stimulates the brain, the truth lies in the other direction. Stress disengages a small bundle of neurons in the frontal cortex. This area is involved in decision making. In a sense, pressure makes you “dumber.”

“I gave up my struggle with perfection a long time ago. That is a concept I don’t find very interesting anymore. Everyone just wants to look good in the photographs. I think that is where some of the pressure comes from. Be happy. Be yourself, the day is about a lot more.”

- Anne Hathaway