Let’s face it, all careers, under the right or should I say wrong conditions can create for an individual stress and stress related illness. Are some roles more stressful than others, is it the employer’s duty to manage stress or is it all down to the individual?
You know you best, and only you can diagnose if your current role is causing you stress.
We all experience different symptoms of stress, what’s a stressful role for one may not be for another. We search for the causes online and take tests to find out how burnt out we are and yet the best place to start is by asking yourself ‘why am I feeling this right now and how can I solve it’.
We both know there are excellent employers who understand the pressures their business activities may have on their employees and they do take steps to minimise potential stress. This can take the form of family friendly working polices, correct breaks, flexi time, regular meaningful supervision, appraisals, great benefits, excellent training and they listen and respond to appropriate feedback.
Also we know that some employers are not as great at looking after staff and they do nothing. Letting people cope alone and get on with it, offer no support or understanding, they bully and belittle, use fearful tactics and coerced motivation.
Here is the problem; you may have the best employer, career, wage and team in the world yet you are stressed. Or you could work for technically the employer from hell and have no stress at all. So does that mean it all comes back to the individual?
What you may see as a stressful job others don’t. Can you make comparisons of what is a less stressful job over another? If people feel that they need to get out their current position and are looking for a less stressful jobs then are they actually saying ‘I am not coping, there is something wrong, I hate what I am doing, work shouldn’t be like this and I need to get help or get out’ or a mix of some of all of them.
It all comes down to personal choice, personal attributes and where you as an individual feel stress and how you manage your own stress on a daily basis.
No one should be stressed at work. Okay a little excitement, adrenalin and a bit of Alice’s white rabbit approach..hurry hurry hurry to get a piece of work completed on time is manageable as long as it does not happen every day. And employers should not create environments where it is expected.
You would think with all the technology to make ‘life easier’ we would all be working part time by now, yet the opposite has happened. How is that? Are you putting more demands on yourselves, do you have to do everything, and do you have to do it right, perfection at all times, and heaven forbid you make a mistake?
Instead of seeking the least stressful job, why not, at the very most consider the least stressful job for you?
For that you could take a review. Have a look at the following questions. And remember when you answer, include all areas of your life.
What stresses you?
How do you know?
Where, what environments stress you?
What behaviours in others stress you?
What are your stress trigger buttons?
What can you not tolerate?
How do you manage stress?
Who can you talk to?
When you are stressed what do you do, say, how do you behave?
What skills could you learn that would help you manage your stress better?
What skills could you learn so that other people’s stress does not affect you?
The trouble and sad fact is if we are stressed continually, especially at work, our whole life suffers. I do not need to explain that to you, you know.
The secret to finding the least stressful job is to research a role you think is less stressful, identify the employers and business they are in and then talk to people within that organisation. Ask them, what is it like to work here?
Next, manage yourself.
© Dawn Barclay, 2008. Reprints welcome so long as the by-line and article are published intact and all links made live.
About the Author
Dawn Barclay publishes her weekly Potential Developments newsletters for individuals, small business owners, career changers and trainers. If you want to reach greater potential in your personal and professional llife visit http://careerchangeuk.com and receive a free CV Writing Tips report.
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