Good Systems · public information library

What can I do at work to help someone when they perform under pressure and then crash afterwards?

People come here to understand why something in everyday life feels harder, different or more costly than it should — and what might make it work better.

Short answer

Do not make last-minute pressure the team’s main activation system.

What this can look like

A team may only start work when the deadline becomes urgent, then pay for it in errors and recovery.

Why it can happen

Urgency may create focus, but repeated crunch creates error, recovery and retention costs. Stage work through early drafts, decision dates and realistic resourcing.

What might help

Set an early first-draft or question milestone and protect time to act on it.

What the research helps explain

Australian ADHD guidance and international consensus evidence describe ADHD as affecting everyday functioning for some people, including attention, planning, memory, time and follow-through. At work, practical supports and fair design can be useful without identifying anyone as having ADHD.

What can vary

Stress, sleep, health, task design, role clarity and preference can create similar work patterns. Do not diagnose employees, seek private medical information or make support conditional on disclosure.

For this situation

For you, treat repeated firefighting as a planning signal.

More info and original sources

Poko summarises the relevance of public original sources and links out for anyone who wants to read more.