There’s so much pressure to be at a certain level in your job and at a certain place in your life, but if everyone was doing things at the same time, then life would be so boring. Everyone reaches different stages at different times. – Caroline Flack
Life pressures are on the increase, and they’re here to stay. We may not be able to stop it but we can learn to live our lives above it. 
Sadly, beautiful Caroline Flack, who is quoted above bowed to life pressure as she killed herself, in her flat, in Stoke Newington, London, on 15 February 2020. Her death is a clear example of how the pressures of life can cause so much damage to one’s mental health.
We’ve all been there. The deadline is looming and we’ve barely begun to work. We all recognize that feeling in the pit of our stomach as we settle down to work. But does pressure have to lead to stress? And what does stress actually do to our motivation and focus?
Stressed Sick
We know for a fact that stress from psychological pressure affects our bodies in a negative way. It leads to higher blood pressure, anxiety, and a host of other symptoms. It also makes it really, really hard to concentrate on the task at hand. If you’re feeling pressure at work, and it’s leading to stress, then you probably aren’t at your most effective. You might be missing deadlines or making mistakes, or even worried yourself sick and had to take a personal day. All of these things can be caused by stress from psychological pressure.
Mounting Motivation
But with good coping skills, pressure doesn’t always have to lead to stress. It can positively affect motivation, too. When you’re feeling stressed, you should try to practice positive thinking, self-distraction, or one of many other techniques that can beat stress and help your focus.
Motivation under pressure is an excellent skill to have, but like other skills, it takes practice to get better. This website is full of positive suggestions and helpful hints for getting better at handling stress caused by pressure. The most important thing you can do is learn to cope because with positive coping mechanisms we see the stress melt away, and in its place, there are a host of positive benefits of working under pressure.
Performing Under Pressure
When you’ve mastered your stress levels and learn to perform under pressure you might notice a few things. You’ll keep a cooler head in difficult situations, thinking clearly when others around you are flailing wildly at the thought of some terrible outcome. You’ll notice that your leadership skills improve and that people turn to you in a crisis. You might also see that you perform better under pressure, because of the positive coping mechanisms that you’ve mastered.
People who perform under pressure are in huge demand in every industry. Whether you’re at the office or behind a counter, performance under stress will lead to promotions and positive feedback. Every employer on Earth wants to find someone who can keep a cool head under pressure, and with a little bit of practice and some positive habits that someone could easily be you.
Life Pressures
Life is generally stressful, but, in a way, good stress. However, most of us put more pressure on ourselves, in one way or another. Unfortunately, most of us are not even realising how much pressure we are putting on ourselves. One of the best ways we can ease life pressures is for us to once in a while, take a step back and stop making things harder on ourselves unnecessarily.