I’ve recently had a fascination with social pressure and the different ways it operates. Generally, I experience two kinds of social pressure in my life:
- External social pressure– someone explicitly or strongly indicates a course of action they’d like for me to take.
- Internal social pressure- I assume there’s a course of action that I’ll be judged upon/will go poorly if I don’t pursue it.
Need an example? I work with a group of brilliant people, all with unique work styles that are much different than my own. They often work in 2-4 hour chunks, (maybe) take lunch , and continue at breakneck speed for the entirety of the day.
Me? I prefer to work in 45 minute chunks before I have a stretch and maybe talk to a friend in the next room. I like to take a nice lunch break and then move to a cafe for the afternoon where I’ll eventually go for a relaxing walk.
You know how often my days look like this? Maybe 5% of the time. Why? I assume I’d look like a slacker to the rest of the team, given their work styles. Reasons why this is stupid:
- I was hired to bring my unique character and perspective, not copy theirs.
- Our team focuses on results, not the process used to get there. Even if they didn’t, results speak for themselves in any situation.
- A decision like this is innocuous. It has no negative effect on anyone else.
Engage in this exercise the next time you’re feeling social pressure- Is it real, or are your emotions telling you a story, probably a lie?