Pressure can be a strange thing—we feel it, we feel ourselves reacting to it, but we may not be able to identify whether or not it is coming from someplace outside of ourselves or if we are putting pressure on ourselves. Trying to stay focused and motivated in our home businesses can lead to feeling as though we’re weighted down with quite a bit of pressure. The first step is to identify where that pressure is coming from, and then we can begin to learn how to cope.
Normally, we feel pressure to do well and succeed—this can be in our work, our parenting, our partnerships and marriages, etc. Starting a home business is a stressful undertaking—especially if we are complete novices. But, stress and pressure aren’t necessarily the same thing. Some stress can actually be quite natural and invigorating. Pressure seldom feels positive or good!
Ask yourself if you are feeling as though someone else is expecting too much of you or putting pressure on you to do things a certain way—or if you are doing it to yourself? If it is you, it may take some work and self reflection to figure out why and work on releasing all that internal pressure and unreasonable expectations. If it is coming from an external place or person—you’ll still need to do the work to separate and free yourself from it, but it will involve setting boundaries and/or removing yourself from the source of the pressure.
Keep in mind that too much stress and pressure can be physically unhealthy. Dealing and drowning under unreasonable amounts of pressure can contribute to high blood pressure, reduced immune systems, headaches, and other stress disorders. Living with some stress and pressure may be normal, but too much can be quite dangerous (not to mention downright unpleasant!)
See Also: Personal Growth and Lessons From Our Work