Dealing with "Overachiever Stress" 1

[lookintomyeyes]

Hello all!

(Apologies if this is a repeat topic, but it wasn't on the first page so I'm hoping it's safe.)

If you are a chronic overachiever, how to do deal with the stress that almost always seems to result?

Bit of a background on myself:
Engineer-in-training with 2.5 years of "engineering" experience, but only 6 months of that in my current position. I'm in a supportive learning environment, but one that unfortunately has no standardized "design process" - ie, its in the designers heads, but not on paper. This makes life stressful because I'm never 100% sure I'm catching everything, and even if I am, Murphy's Law will always interfere anyways. As an overachiever, I tend to give 110% to a project, want it to be done early if not just on time, and therefore get stressed when things go wrong. Any ideas how to relax and "go with the flow more?" I thought I had it figured out and dealt with back in university, but now that I'm in a permanent job, the Overachievement has reared it's ugly head.

I know time will eventually make the overachievement go away (though NOT my sense of morals, ethics, etc), but any suggestions for the meantime?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dvd]

Good luck with your career. You may decide that engineering is not concrete enough for you. I knew a graduate engineer who switched careers to accounting because he couldn't handle the uncertainty of engineering because there were multiple "correct" answers to complicated problems.

 

[lookintomyeyes]

Hi DVD,

It's not the multitude of solutions I have a problem with -I love looking for ways to solve problems. The trouble is not getting stressed out in the process of doing so!

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Consider drinking heavily

 

[csd72]

Its all in the attitude. Look at things as challenges rather than problems.

Even a problem with the system/management can be seen as a good challenge to develop people skills.

 

[jmw]

Break the task down into small segments and assign a due date and time to each segment.
Be generous.
ALso, build a lot of 10-30minute islands in your work plan which you use for other things so that as you complete each segment you have a break.

BUT, if you complete a segment early, you must wait until the next segment start date and time before you can start the next segment.
Don't rush into the next segment.

This ought to make you take short manageable breaks, and you should try and use the breaks to relax by doing something else.
For some of these breaks find something to do that doesn't involve thinking about your project. Go alk to IT or get a coffee not from the nearest macj=hine but one further off. Try to acquire knowledge of other activities within the company.
These tasks can all be work related but are intended to de-stress you; this may help you approach each segment fresh and relaxed.
No cheating. If any segment over-runs, divide up the over-run time and adjust the due times for the next segments accordingly. Do not cut the breaks.
Next project set more realistic due times and adjust your work plan accordingly. Always try and ensure you have plenty of time for the project and try not to complete early.

I suspect you start eager and speed up and as you speed up you start to either make mistakes or get diverted.

You can also break each day down and assign different tasks to each part of the day. E-mail, research etc.
Schedule times to go talk to other engineers who have it in their head, don't be shy about talking to people (you sound disappointed it isn't all written down) Talking is better sometimes as what is written down is never the same as getting it from the horses mouth (or a***e dependent on who it is) and it will help you to build a better relationship with your co-workers.





JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[dvd]

What causes the stress? Is it the lack of positive feedback? In school did you get good marks and constant reinforcement through grading, and now no one is constantly telling you that you are the smartest one in the class, etc.?

You will get over it. Don't expect that you will learn everything about real-world engineering in six months. Don't try to compete with your co-workers.

Accept the fact that someone is going to know more than you. They didn't learn everything they knew overnight, so they can't give you their knowledge overnight either.

 

[sms]

Ask lots of questions of those who have "it" stored in their heads. Many of us old guys like it when the whipper snappers figure out that they don't know it all, and start asking questions.

Use reading eng-tips as a relaxation tool...

Read trade journals and other papers or what not as well...

Eventually, and you may be suprised how soon it happens, you will have "it" stored in your head as well.

"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of the Eng-Tips Forums.

 

[IRstuff]

Since you are an overachiever, you might want to take the lead in developing a codified design process.

You can start it by making note of each step you take in your own designs. Create a design file or folder with subdivisions for each major component, and subdivisions within those for analyses, design notes/reports, requirements, etc.

The first place to start is the customer requirements. Each design feature and requirement should be traceable to the written and unwritten customer requirements.

Document your rationale for making design choices. If there's a trade to made, document your weighting factors and other salient details of the trade.

Capture your analyses and simulations in some sort of permanent report format or files. Include all the relevant input parameters and program settings.



TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[MintJulep]

If things going wrong stresses you out, just make sure that you do everything right all the time.

Simple.

But seriously. There are things you can control, and things that you can't. Learn to recognize the difference. Don't get worked up when something that you had no control over doesn't go "the way you would have done it".

 

[TheTick]

You may call it overachieving, but it's really a form of self-abuse. Relax, watch, listen, and learn, and learn to relax. Learn to put things in their proper context. There's due attention to detail, which is good, and perfectionism, which is destructive. It's a great form of self-torture, and fun to watch.

A big part of design is taking a multitude of amorphous ideas and organizing them into a coherent product. There's many ways to do it. Ideas and concepts can end up almost covering the floor like litter. They do need to be put into a framework. It is good that you see that. A successful project needs someone to bring order from that chaos. Just don't give yourself a stroke in the process.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Take notes.

Document your own process as it evolves.

Document everyone else's process, too.

Maybe a little comparative anatomy will help you propose a standard process that combines the best of everyone's ideas.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[KENAT]

Well I'm not sure I'd say I'm an overachiever although my boss says I am.

thread731-179040 Is vaguely relevant. However just last week I forgot all that good advice and blew up at my manager.

I wouldn't say wanting to finish on time is overachieving, even wanting to be a little early isn't, in my opinion, it's just adequate achieving.

Overachieving is wanting to be 20% early, 20% under budget and 20% above minimum performance. (I know pick 2.)

Work hard - play hard, make sure and balance that and any family, faith etc. commitments. Heavy drinking at the weekends used to work well for me, at least seemed like it at the time, though looking back!!!

Things go wrong, take a walk, do something else for a while, ask for help whatever works for you.

IRstuff has a good idea, especially if you work in a field where there is a lot of similarity between jobs.

As SMS says ask questions but - and this is my golden rule - at least have thought about it a bit first, maybe do a little research etc. I prefer people asking "I was going to do it like this, what you you think?" rather than "What should I do".

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[lookintomyeyes]

Thanks all, there are some good ideas in there. I have already suggested the creation of a rudimentary design manual to my supervisor, and have taken the initiative of starting one. The look-ahead plan for our department has our experienced designers nearing retirement or moving to a new "bigger and better" department that is being created, and so I know in a few years I will be the "experienced one" of the group.

 

[eliebl]

One day you will wake up and there will be several new engineers asking you questions. It recently happened to me. I have to remind myself that there are many ways to do things and the same route may not always be chosen by everyone. It always helps to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

To play devil's advocate, be cautious with the design manual and develop it closer to generalities rather than specifics. It has always been a frustration of mine to look at guidance documents and then find they have either tied my hands or they don't really apply to my situation. The documents take many years to develop so don't be disapointed if it takes a while.

My opinions only.

 

[lookintomyeyes]

Hi eliebl,
At this stage of the game, I am just looking for a document that can serve of a reminder of all the steps required to complete the project, which in my case is transmission line design. A list of, and general recommended timelines for getting stuff accomplished would be helpful.

 

[PSE]

Take time, if needed each day, when you realize you are getting stressed and go for a walk. A "short" one of 5 minutes or so can be refreshing. As you can see, there is a lot of good responses here already. Pick and choose what might work best for you.

Regards,

 

[KiwiMace]

I suggest less of a design manual and more of a training session. Do some notes on the general process and then train the engineering staff on it. Then re-write the notes based on the <pause> 'feedback' you get and re-do the training the following year. There you go, instant design manual.

Now if you want to go about developing a quality and checking procedure - there is something wonderfully polarising that you can get your teeth into.

 

[KENAT]

Quality and checking procedure preparation will make you no friends. Trust me I know.

A design manual can be equally contentious.

I actually disagree with KiwiMace, a written document you can refer back to works better for me than occasional training and maybe a few slides to look at.

That's not so say training doesn't have it's place but IMHO it should be training on what the manual says/how to use it.

Developing a manual like this is typically difficult and time consuming. I suggest that initially it is perhaps just a non mandatory guide, make it clear you want feedback from other users. As it matures it can maybe become mandatory.

Whether this works may depend on what it covers, there may be some things that should be mandatory from the start.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[jmw]

To get an idea of what is required I would suggest that you ask one of the old hands if there is a similar completed report you can have a look at. This will then reflect not just the common elements but also any peculiarities of this company or its old hand engineer's approach. Asking a bit of advise like this which doesn't impose on their time may well produce some spontaneous advise and as others have said, will let them know you are of the "right sort" and they will be very open with you.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com