Thriving Under Pressure: Unpacking How Stress Affects Us 

An Introduction to the Normal-Pressure Continuum

Have you ever noticed how some days everything seems to flow effortlessly, while at other times you keep trying without getting it right? It’s at those times that pressure weighs you down, affecting your mindset, focus, attitude, and even your ability to communicate and connect with others. 

While excessive pressure will negatively impact most people’s ability to behave purposefully, connect collaboratively with others, and deploy their full potential, the right amount of pressure is essential for growth and achievement. In fact, not all stress is detrimental. The key lies in striking a balance.

In the first installment of this blog series, we’ll focus on how to recognize and identify how you experience stress and tension by introducing our proprietary core concept: the Normal-Pressure Continuum.  

The Normal-Pressure Continuum: Explaining Universal Reactions to Stress

Years ago, Jean Phaneuf, one of Crysalia’s cofounders, was asked by a client why a new hire seemed to have two totally different personalities. At times, he could be empathetic, collaborative and patient, but also sometimes highly impatient, directive and transactional. Seeking to explain these shifts, Jean partnered with Organizational Psychology PhD candidates to study and explain these variations across a wider range of people and circumstances. From their peer-reviewed research, the Normal-Pressure Continuum was born. 

The Normal-Pressure Continuum describes how human behaviour and performance shift as pressure levels change. This principle is applicable to all spheres of life; it’s a universal experience that impacts everyone, in any situation.  

It is best illustrated by a curve, showing how behaviours and our ability to reach our full potential changes according to the level of challenge we perceive. It also highlights how individuals transition through different states.

Pressure: What Happens When There’s Too Much or Too Little?

When the pressure level is “just right”, you are at the top of your game, or your curve. You feel stimulated, competent, able to anticipate, interact and make decisions. You are “in the flow” or within your comfort zone. In this state, you have the capacity to act intentionally and choose the best course of action deliberately. 

But the level of pressure experienced is not always optimal. When there is too little, you may feel overly qualified, redundant, apathic or bored. When there is too much, you may feel overwhelmed, tense, saturated, frantic or you may experience unease, annoyance, impatience, or heightened stress. 

The more pressure you are under, the more you experience discomfort and the more you tend to react intensely and quickly to triggers. Your reactions tend to become progressively more individualistic, and task driven. We become more reactive, diminishing your ability to act with intention and rationality. You may increasingly feel as though you are on autopilot, tapping into internalized knowledge, as well as defense and coping mechanisms. Whether it takes the form of an angry outburst or intentional avoidance, understanding the Normal-Pressure Continuum helps clarify why the reactions vary depending on the situation.

What Does Your “Curve” Look Like?

While the Normal-Pressure Continuum is universal, each person’s “curve” is unique and in constant evolution. 

Pressure is inherently subjective and can vary widely from person to person. In the same situation one person may feel intense pressure, while another might perceive the situation as manageable or even boring.

The shape of your curve will also vary. It may rise and fall steeply, with a narrow peak. It could also have an extended plateau at the top. 

Internal factors, such as your resilience, energy level and how your motivation factors are engaged, play a critical role. These factors, along with external influences like ambiguity, pressure, intensity, expertise, the perceived quality of your relationships, time constraints, and the specific situation or task, as well as how your day unfolds, will continuously shape your curve. For instance, a task that feels manageable when you are well-rested may become significantly more difficult if you are fatigued. Similarly, a situation that would be stimulating surrounded by supportive people could become a challenge under strained relationships. 

Knowing the shape of your curve and where you stand relative to it at any moment is a powerful lens for self-awareness. 

Understanding Yourself to Help You Understand Others

Acknowledging the current shape of your curve and recognizing your position on it allows you to become more intentional and manage your own behaviours. Understanding how varying levels of stress and how our ability to cope and respond can fluctuate according to multiple factors improves our self-awareness and our ability to navigate challenges.

In group settings, transitions along the curve affect everyone involved. Understanding where others are on the curve provides context for their behaviours. Identifying triggers and acknowledging coping mechanisms help avoid taking others’ behaviours personally. It may not excuse their actions, but it may moderate how they may be misinterpreted, particularly since we often assume erroneously that people are at their best. 

If we don’t know where we are on the curve, we struggle to understand ourselves. When we are unaware of others’ position on the curve, it can lead to competitive or avoidant behaviours. Being aware of our own curve and those of others helps manage interactions more effectively and prevents vicious cycles of conflict. 

Understanding the Normal-Pressure Continuum is valuable, no matter which hat you are wearing—whether as a family member, co-worker, or advisor. By identifying where you are on the Normal-Pressure Continuum, you gain insight into your own stress levels and develop a better understanding of the pressures others may be experiencing. This awareness helps you manage conflicts more effectively, preventing unnecessary escalations and keeping interactions productive.

Stay tuned for the next blog in our series, where we will dive into the Phases of the Normal-Pressure Continuum and continue exploring strategies for improving performance under pressure.