How to Thrive Under Pressure: Actionable Strategies for Managing Stress, Time, and Conflict at Work

By SME Membership

In today’s fast-paced professional world, stress, time constraints, and conflict are unavoidable – but they don’t have to derail your success. During our recent SME Career Café, Jacqueline Connolly-Peros, founder of JMP Branding and a seasoned expert in personal branding and communication, dug deep into these three major workplace pain points and shared actionable strategies to build resilience, enhance credibility, and step into stronger leadership roles.
Whether you’re leading a team, managing multiple projects, or trying to stay afloat in a chaotic work environment, here are takeaways to help you manage stress, improve time management, and handle conflict with confidence.

Master Stress with Pre-Planning and Boundaries
The power of preparation as the first line of defense against stress.
Actionable Tips:

• Before major meetings, events, or deadlines, build out multiple contingency plans. This not only prepares you for the unexpected but makes pivots less stressful.
• Communicate proactively with your team or clients. Let them know what you’re working on and when you’ll be available, so you can manage expectations from the start.
• Establish boundaries around your non-negotiable personal time. Block out time for family, exercise, or downtime and stick to it.

• Try the Eisenhower Matrix. This tool helps you distinguish between tasks that are urgent and important. Focus your energy on tasks that are both; delegating or delaying the rest.
  • Urgent tasks demand immediate attention – think deadlines, last-minute requests, or crises.
  • Important tasks contribute to long-term goals and values – like strategic planning, professional development, or nurturing relationships.
  • Prioritize what aligns with personal, team, and organizational goals, not just what is making the most noise.
• Use your calendar wisely. Don’t just keep track of meetings – schedule time for focused work, breaks, and professional development into your calendar weekly. This prevents you from being stuck in a reactive, task-only mode. Also, treat your calendar blocks like appointments you can’t miss.
• Implement the Two-Minute Rule. If something takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. For longer tasks, assign a specific time on your calendar to tackle them.

• Set daily or weekly inbox clean-up time to maintain control.
• Use folders, color coding, or apps to manage volume.
• If it’s not urgent or important, archive or snooze it.

• Set and share your availability with your manager and coworkers. For example, “I’m unavailable from 6 – 7:30 p.m. daily for family time.”
• Use nonverbal cues, like blocking time on your calendar or being consistent with your habits (e.g. daily walks), to reinforce boundaries.
• If you respond to emails late at night, you’re training others to expect that. Set the tone by modeling healthy communication patterns.
• If a manager or coworker unknowingly crosses a boundary, a simple conversation can fix it.

• Pause before reacting. Take a breath and avoid responding when emotions are high. Reacting impulsively can damage your credibility and relationships.
• Restate the issue. Often, conflict stems from miscommunication. Clarifying the root cause helps both parties get on the same page.
• Acknowledge feelings. Validating emotions – yours and others’ – helps de-escalate the situation and shows empathy.
• Know when to walk away. If conflict with a manager becomes a pattern that impacts your well-being or growth, it may be time to explore a transition.

• Take your lunch away from your desk. Even a short walk can reset your energy by disconnecting from screens to help you recenter.
• Regularly evaluate your workload and advocate for adjustments if needed. If your work no longer brings joy, it might be time to reassess your responsibilities or explore new opportunities.

• Take time to reflect – either on your own or with a trusted mentor – after things don’t go as planned.
• Ask yourself: what didn’t work, and how can I approach it differently next time?
• Normalize the process- everyone makes mistakes. What matters is how you recover.

In today’s working environment, the ability to manage stress, time, and conflict is more than just a survival skill – it’s essential for long-term career success. From strategic pre-planning and clear communication to setting firm boundaries and recognizing signs of burnout, the tools are available to help you thrive rather than just get by. Proactively managing these areas not only builds resilience and credibility but also reinforces your professional presence.
So, take a deep breath, make your plan, and know that thriving under pressure is a skill you can build – starting now.

Ready to take your job search journey to the next level? Join us for the SME Career Cafe, where we dive deeper into topics like navigating the job search. The SME Career Café is your go-to virtual coffee chat series for career-driven individuals. Unlike typical coffee chats, these offer tailored insights, expert advice, and real-world experiences for SME students, emerging professionals, and seasoned professionals. Join us to build a vibrant community, access career resources like the SME Career Center, and network for your career success!   

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