What’s your boiling point? If you have never been under pressure before, you probably have no idea of what it means to boil.
Being an entrepreneur comes with a lot of responsibilities. How do you manage and cope with them as a female entrepreneur?
Boiling water is violent, so is the brain under pressure. Without caution, one might be forced to make rash, irrational, stupid, unthinkable decisions or take actions that will only lead to an abyss of unending regrets.
In many cases, when the pressure gets out of hand, it leads to self-doubt, self-sabotage, self-destruction or even suicide. It is only a matter of time before the greatest test of our lives comes in the form of intense pressure.
How we react when it comes will be a defining moment in our business and careers. It is better to be equipped beforehand to be able to withstand pressure whenever it comes up.
10 ways to stay calm under pressure
1. Take a break.
Face your challenges now; tomorrow may be too late. Never run away from your demons bla bla bla. Whenever pressure is at its peak, you can withdraw and take several days off. Pressure is a fair enemy that gives some breathing space when in a fight. Intense pressure is dangerous.
It will affect mental and physical health if it is not managed correctly. Health experts tell us that poor stress management is the cause of anxiety, confusion, depression and risks for cardiovascular diseases.
This has been proven medically. If you shy away from coping and managing external pressure, it is to your detriment. Whenever pressure is at its peak, it is best to take a momentary break to refresh and come back stronger. Relaxing relieves your head of stressful tasks.
It helps you recuperate and generate fresh energy for what you might be going through. Taking short breaks in the midst of intense pressure helps your brain regain balance and gives you clarity on how to overcome your obstacles.
2. Seek advice from people you trust
One major type of stress that seems to apply much pressure, especially on female entrepreneurs is family and relationship issues. Only a few female businesswomen can cope with it, especially when it interferes with our professional life.
Pressure coming from relationships such as family, friends, and spouse are very tricky. They mess with the mind. If you are caught in one, there’s every possibility you are not thinking straight.
In such instances, relying on someone you trust dearly could significantly reduce the pressure on your shoulders. Don’t forget that irrespective of the advice you get from loved ones, and you still have to make your decision.
Seeking advice from close and trustworthy associates will help clouded minds see their problems clearly.
3. Take time to analyse your problems critically.
In periods of intense pressure, a careful analysis of your situation is very important. You obviously have a number of choices to make. Pressure actually occurs when there is a plethora of choices, and you can only make one.
Pressure comes when friends, family members, co-workers are trying to influence you to make a particular choice or decision you don’t want to make. In such an instance, you need to analyse all your problems critically.
You will have to consider your options carefully. Consider all the possible outcomes of making a particular choice. Thinking your way out of your problem should be done alone without any form of distraction.
It might take you hours to make your conclusion. But once you have, it will help you stay calm amid pressure.
4. Never procrastinate, do it now!
Procrastination is perhaps, the greatest enemy of success. Procrastination deals with how we distribute time to important activities.
Most people devote more time to fun, relaxation and entertainment than more important and meaningful activities only to come under unnecessary pressure later on.
When important tasks such as, completing a job, attending a meeting, supervising a project, keeping up with a date with someone special, attending to a sick friend pile up at the same time, you begin to panic and come under pressure. It’s almost certain that you don’t meet up with any of your planned schedules, especially when there is a deadline.
To prevent this from happening, you have to prioritise your activities, and what matters to you. You also need to adopt proper time management skills to ensure you don’t get overladen with activities you have to attend.
5. Avoid People who pressurise you.
Learning to cope with and lifting pressure of your shoulder is a skill and a good aptitude of work. Every female entrepreneur who desires large scale success must learn to resist pressure like a tough brick wall.
The more the responsibility, the more the pressure that comes with it. Every top female CEO or businesswoman is always a master at stress management. The resistance from females trying to build their brand or make a name for themselves is enough pressure.
Whenever pressure arises, resist as long as you can. Most times, it is best to delay decision making than making quick, weak decisions under fear or pressure. One tip that will help is to know that pressure is a mind game.
Try to keep pressure away from getting to you as long as you can. This is a very good strategy for keeping up with pressure. Try to avoid people or things that pressurise you while finding a solution to your problems.
6. Don’t instantly give in to people’s demands.
When pressure comes, people around you make heavy demands. These demands heap more pressure on us as entrepreneurs and leaders in the business world.
Think of people in government, for example, when things become awkward, people hit the street to protest and make demands from the government. That’s a whole lot of pressure.
It happens in all aspects of life, including entrepreneurship. When things go bad, people begin to complain and make heavy demands, mounting pressure on whoever is responsible.
When people threaten us or insist we find instant solutions to their problems, we don’t necessarily have to give in immediately. Even if we will eventually, we must ensure we don’t give in as a result of fear but as a result of responsibility.
More Resources
5-Day Habit Switch for Stress Relief
5 Ways You Can Prioritise Your Time To Reduce Stress
How To Deal With Stress In 12 Practical Ways As A Boss Lady
7. Have proper sleep.
Sleeplessness in the midst of intense pressure is common. Pondering over your problems late into the night only makes matters worse. Having proper sleep in the midst of pressure is a great way to relax and refresh your brain.
Getting proper sleep ensures you don’t breakdown mentally in the midst of pressure. Also, during sleep, the brain is very active.
There are times the brain tends to connect with a higher source of inspiration during sleep gifting you with clues on how to overcome obstacles in your way. This is purely nature at work, and it only happens when you get enough sleep.
8. Redefine your emotions
Women are passionate, emotional beings. Our emotional dispositions toward things have become more of a disadvantage than an advantage. Allowing your emotions to get in your way is a very big mistake.
Allowing your emotions to influence your decisions and actions is the quickest way to regrets. Emotions are caused by biological reactions in our bodies. They aren’t real, and therefore we can base our judgments on them.
Redefining our emotions is one of the most difficult things to do, especially when it involves our personal life. Above emotions, we must understand and cherish logic.
In cases where we are bound by our emotions, it is best to find what the logically right thing to do is and do them. Allowing logic to take precedence over emotions is a character trait of successful female entrepreneurs.
9. Stay by your beliefs and Principles.
Intense pressure wage fierce war on our beliefs and principles. It’s time we fought the good fight of faith.
Unwavering loyalty to our beliefs and principles during moments of pressure shows character strength. It helps us not to give in to pressure.
Developing a strong belief system is very important as an entrepreneur; it helps us build character strength to be able to resist pressure when it comes.
10. Understand what causes stress.
Work stress comes from many sources. A demanding boss, annoying co-workers, annoying spouse, an unending and extremely busy day, difficult customers, rebellious students and staffs, financial burdens, you could go on and on.
Having stringent deadlines to meet up with, having risks to take, making very difficult decisions or a combination of one, two, three, four or all of everything listed above.
If you understand what causes stress and brings pressure, it would be easy for you to avoid them altogether. Understanding the root of a problem is important in finding lasting solutions.
For instance, if you are a saleswoman, you know to recognise difficult customers on sight and begin to anticipate them in advance. When you understand what causes you stress, you can anticipate it and avoid the pressure that comes with it.
Final thought on ways to stay calm under pressure
There is always a period of trail for entrepreneurs and everyone who has lots of responsibilities, a moment where the whole world seems to be against you. A period when those you trust cannot connect with you psychologically.
A time when quitting looks very appealing and seem satisfying. You will have this experience often and It is great when you can handle stress or pressure whenever it comes up during this period.
