Identify Pressuring Emotions

As discussed in the article "Where Does Time Pressure Come From?," various situational feelings that we don't want to feel--like fear, guilt, sadness, confusion, or embarassment--can add energy to a work situation, intensifying the 'normal' and often somewhat constant pressure of time flowing. For example, we may feel guilty for not taking care of our part of a team project.

You can do the following exercise to explore your relationship to the projects you have and see whether there are situational feelings that are creating pressure.

Get an image or symbol for one or more things that you'd like to get done. Just relax and let an image come to mind. You might want to close your eyes to concentrate better. Take the first image that comes to mind and make a note about it so you can remember it. Now ask: What feelings or sensations are associated with the image? What other feelings are associated with the image? What people are associated with the image?

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Now get a second image or symbol for the same things that you'd like to get done. Just relax and let an image come to mind. Take the first image that comes to mind and make a note about it so you can remember it. Now ask: What feelings or sensations are associated with this image? What other feelings are associated with the image? What people are associated with the image?

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Now if you take those two images and put them next to each other, what would they say to each other?

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Finally, ask the following questions about these things that you'd like to get done: If you don't complete the tasks/projects on time, what would happen? If you do complete things on time, what will be the result? Why are you motivated? What feelings are involved? Would some of your feelings like to push things away or get rid of something? Would some of your feelings like to get something or draw something closer? Are you confused about something? If you hear yourself saying, I'm really looking forward to . . . ," see whether there's a negative feeling of some kind that you're avoiding by anticipating being done with the job.

Now, after having gotten some clarity on the emotions and feelings associated with your task/project, you can do an exercise that explores different ways of experiencing feelings.

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