Posted by TamaraJ on April 25, 2005, at 20:12:14
In reply to Stuggling to stay in High-Stress Work Enviroment-, posted by StaciW on April 24, 2005, at 18:45:29
Hi,
I know what you mean about being drawn to fast-paced, high stress environments. I have spent the past 15 years in such an environment, and, where I work, a 10-11 hour day (at the office, with another couple of hours of "home work") is what can be expected when things are quiet. Anyway, if you like the job as well as the salary, it probably is your best interest to talk to your boss about alternative work arrangements and how to best achieve a good work/personal life balance. First, is it absolutely necessary for you to be on-site in order to do your job? I ask because one thing you could raise with your boss, given that you are a contractor with this software company, is possibly working from home 1 or 2 days a week. This could possibly reduce your stress in two ways: 1) by eliminating the 100 mile commute a couple of days a week (I imagine the drive itself must add the stress); and 2) allowing you to work in the comfort of your own home away from the sometimes stressful interactions that can go on in an office. Some people may think that getting out of the stressful, environment and finding a job that is not as fast-paced is the answer. That isn't necessarily the best thing for people who thrive, for the most part, in a fast-paced environment. A slow pace and little pressure can actually prove demoralizing and depressing for people who are used to and need the fast pace (if that makes any sense). I remember years ago (before I started working where I am now) having a job that was just way too slow for me. Anyway, I found myself leaving work in tears at the end of the day and feeling more and more tired because I felt so useless and under-utilized. Eliminating stress can have as much of a negative effect as stress can IMO.
I don't know about you, but I find that I am the worst sabatoger of my own work-personal life balance. I put unreasonable demands on myself which, at times, compounds the stress that comes with working in a fast-paced environment. This may or may not apply to you, but I have found that I need to learn to ask myself at times whether: it is necessary for me to work 11 hours a day, 5 days a week; I have to take all the calls from the office when I am supposed to be on holidays; I should over-shoot rather than under-shoot when I can achieve a deliverable, particularly when I am already dealing with multiple deliverables; and, finally, whether I am over-extending myself because I want to prove just how capable and valuable I am to the organization. I guess that is where therapy could be useful - it can help a person identify the behaviours and thought patterns that drive the person to do well and go above and beyond that first year in a new job and why perhaps those behaviours and thought patterns are what can cause the person to burn out to some degree or come to question their ability or desire to succeed in a fast-paced, stressful environment.Good luck to you. Take care.
Tamara
poster:TamaraJ
thread:488925
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050418/msgs/489448.html