Are you under time pressure and feel like you’re trapped in a hamster wheel? We have some ideas on how you can deal with time pressure in a more relaxed way. And spend your time better at 22Bet login.
Whether it’s project work at work, moving house or housework – most of us know moments when we are particularly stressed and under time pressure. However, people react very differently to this: while some people procrastinate until shortly beforehand and put off the important things, others fixate on the problem and experience great stress as a result.
We give you various tips on how you can deal better with time pressure. We do this in two steps:
- Firstly, we will show you some first aid options if you are currently under time pressure.
- In a second step, we will give you tips on how you can prevent time pressure.
1. ‘First aid’ for acute time pressure
Fresh air can help you think more clearly under time pressure.
Are you currently under time pressure and feeling tired and listless? In this situation, you can try out a few methods to alleviate the stress. The main aim is to clear your head before you start solving the problem:
- Do breathing exercises, for example by breathing out for 15 to 20 times twice as long as you breathe in. This will help to reduce the oxygen supply to your brain and make you calmer and more relaxed.
- Progressive muscle relaxation also helps to calm you down in the short term and get rid of inner tension.
- Exercise to get fresh oxygen and to distract yourself: going for a walk or even a short home workout can help.
- You can also stimulate your senses to distract yourself. You can do this, for example, by holding your face in cold water for 15 to 30 seconds or smelling a freshly cut lemon.
- You should also always be aware of your basic needs, such as eating, getting enough sleep and drinking, and fulfil them. After all, you can’t expect your body to perform at 100 per cent under time pressure if it isn’t sufficiently nourished.
How to deal with time pressure
Look at your problem from a bird’s eye view – even without time pressure, this often opens up new ways of thinking.
Research distinguishes between legitimate and illegitimate time pressure. Legitimate time pressure arises when a situation is really urgent – for example, when we have to act in an emergency. Then, of course, it makes sense to really concentrate on just this one thing.
However, our time pressure is often illegitimate, or at least we perceive it as such. This is when we perceive it as particularly stressful: ‘Why does this have to happen right now?’ At the same time, however, illegitimate time pressure often makes us realise that the situation doesn’t actually justify the stress.
So as soon as you have a cool head, you can act more rationally and deal with the time pressure.
- Take a bird’s eye view: Put yourself in the shoes of an outsider. This could be the perspective of a friend or your mum. Ask yourself how serious your problem seems to you from their perspective. Think about it: Is it worth the time pressure you are putting yourself under? What would happen in the worst case scenario if you didn’t achieve your goal under time pressure?
- Try to prioritise in order to use your energy efficiently under time pressure. Your flat doesn’t have to be cleaned today. You can usually leave bills for another two days and your friends will certainly understand if, for once, you don’t get in touch in the next few days.
- Delegate tasks that others can do for you: For example, your partner can take the children to nursery this week or prepare dinner. You can also ask other people for help. If you find it difficult to be vulnerable, we have an article for you on the theory of scientist Brené Brown. She shows you how you can see vulnerability as strength.
- Remind yourself that you cansay no If you are under time pressure, you should stand up for yourself and your needs. You can’t save the world right now and put the needs of others before your own. Explain the reasons for your cancellation. The person in question will probably be able to accept your current situation with your time pressure.
2. take preventative action against time pressure
Allow yourself enough breaks even under time pressure.
You can prevent some types of time pressure. It makes sense to do so:
- Learn to tame your perfectionism so that you don’t get lost in the little things. The Pareto principle, also known as the ‘80:20 rule’, is one way of achieving a sufficient goal with less effort.
- Take regular breaks to take a deep breath and do yourself some good. Because if your mind and body feel healthy and well, they can perform even in difficult and stressful situations when you are under time pressure. In our article Taking a break: Ideas for relaxing short and long breaks, we give you some tips on how to do this.
- Plan enough time for your tasks in advance to avoid getting stressed and under time pressure. For example, you can improve your time management by entering time slots for the task in your diary to help you organise yourself better.
- Do you sometimes have problems with self-motivation? Keep in mind the goal you want to achieve by completing this task. If you are self-motivated for your task, you can feel positive stress, so-called eustress, even under time pressure and are less depressed.
Don’t let time pressure get the better of you
Don’t let time pressure control you, but make sure that you also have times when you do something good for yourself.
Regardless of whether you are looking for preventative solutions to time pressure or are in the midst of it: Don’t let it rule you, but always keep yourself in control of how far you allow yourself to be stressed.
On stressful days, plan times when you can switch off and make sure that you still have fun. Reward yourself with things you like. This could be your favourite tea and an episode of your favourite series – or even a phone call with friends where you can laugh a lot.