Yerkes–Dodson Law

The Yerkes–Dodson law describes an inverted-U relationship between arousal (stress, pressure, stimulation) and performance: very low and very high arousal both hurt results; a moderate level often supports focus and speed.

The "sweet spot" shifts with task complexity—hard, open-ended work usually tolerates less pressure before quality drops. That connects flow (engaged, not panicked) with burnout and anxiety on the high side.

Practically: calibrate challenge, sleep and recovery; avoid permanent red-line urgency (hustle culture). Use time boxing and clear scope to add helpful structure without chronic overload.