I respect your reasoning but I have to disagree. As a programmer when I am stressed or worried then I am working on the issue non stop until it's solved.

When something is easy you aren't stressed thus you aren't going to work on it immediately. When the issue becomes something stressful, because of time, that's when you begin working on it.

Therefore I'd have to say that we are pushed to work hard when we are stressed whether it's having low skills or having very little time.

I'd say when you are able to finish your project in a short amount of time, that shows you have a high level of skill, but if you have low skills and start it immediately and give the same results that shows a high level of skill in the form of determination.