Pressure vs. Pleasure

Recently, a student in the 10th grade told me he was under “too much pressure.” Those words stuck with me. Later, at the office, I heard my colleague say, “There’s too much pressure to submit this proposal today.” The same evening while playing a sports match, my fellow players said they felt “too much pressure” too.

Again and again, the words “too much pressure” appeared.

I thought to myself, what needs to change for people to be relieved of this phrase, this “too much pressure?” If they focused on pleasure instead of pressure, would their experiences be similar?I then spoke to the 10th grade student again and asked which subject he likes the most. His answer was maths. I replied, “do you feel pressure studying maths?” His answer was, “Actually I enjoy it.” I asked my colleague about work preferences, and while they didn’t enjoy making presentations, they enjoyed actually executing the project. My sports mates didn’t enjoy making the other team lose, but they did enjoy playing the game.

Time and time again, enjoyment came up. Now where there is enjoyment, there is pleasure.

So how can we switch our focus from pressure to pleasure? One solution is a change of mindset. Consider a sports match. If I were to say, “Forget about making the other team lose, instead focus on winning.” Putting the emphasis on our strength, instead of the opponents’ weakness, would it make a difference?

When pitching for new business, this mindset is helpful. Every individual brings their strengths and passion to the table. Whether it’s numbers, content, research or presenting, by allowing each member of the team pursue what they enjoy, it adds more value.

Taking this a step further, a fully-integrated work model allows colleagues across different areas to collaborate. By splitting tasks according to the team’s passion and expertise, this collaboration-first framework allows for the best results across the board. Not only is this more effective for our business, it’s also best for our people.

According to the American Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), up to 90% of all illness and diseases are stress related. Stress seeps into every area of our lives, affecting our mental wellbeing, productivity, and physical health.

While we may not control what happens in our lives, we can control what receives our attention. That said, adapting business models to ensure that flexibility and joy are part of daily life, that work is done with passion and commitment, will go a long way in putting pleasure before pressure both in and out of the office.

To create truly outstanding work, and live truly outstanding lives, we have to let go of this nagging pressure. A word to the wise, let pleasure take the wheel and watch how life unfolds. Would you rather work under pressure or pleasure?