How to deal with Stress 4

[l3city]

Hi fellas,
Well, it is impossible not to have stress in this bussines and almost in whatever work you have. Question for everybody,
How do you deal with stress? (i.e. project due date, conflicts, professional or personal, etc..)
Do you bike? Go to a bar? Movies? Read a book or go to the park, family? anyways, you are welcome to share your tips, opinions and experiences.
Regards

 

[epoisses]

I once slept at work after lunch, deliberately. I think it was right after we got a baby. I had waited until after the mail guy passed by. It must have been 15 minutes. I never have known if anyone entered my office in the meantime but it was one of the most enjoyable quarters of my life

 

[lewtam]

SERENITY NOW!!!!

LewTam Inc.
Petrophysicist, Leading Hand, Natural Horseman, Prickle Farmer, Crack Shot, Venerable Yogi.

 

[PSE]

I agree with epoisses (and/or his instructor), that stress is ultimately something you do to yourself. I also think that a hallmark quality for a engineer is to care about their work. That alone can be a major source of stress completely self-induced.

Stress reducers would vary by individual and stress level. Mine range from general complaining sessions with fellow engineers (this site can be good for that), music, spending time outdoors (particularly during deer season), to climbing into a racecar (you don't dare think about anything other than driving).

Taking even a half day off can help tremendously. I also try to end my work day with something less stressful so that when I leave for home, my family is not subjected to the brunt of a bad day/week.

Regards,

 

[epoisses]

It's interesting you mention caring about your work. I care about my work... but not at the expense of my health!

 

[HgTX]

Stress...
Let's see...

I work at a place not at all known for high-pressure environment.

At least one person at the management level in my small office is on anxiety medication.

One of the admin people in the next office over has a chronic stress-related skin condition.

Me, I've been doing a lot less stomping around and growling lately, but I think that's because my depression has increased...

I don't even want to think what it's like in private sector jobs where people have to worry about the bottom line or real-time financial losses that add up as time ticks by while problems are worked on.

On the flip side, I drove past a yoga studio yesterday on my way home from a work-related errand, and I walked in and signed up for classes. We'll see.

Hg


Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

HgTX ... so you're not stressed, but the people around you are? Hmmmm.

​

Helpful SW websites faq559-520​

How to find answers ... faq559-1091​

 

[HgTX]

I'm not stressed because I'm too depressed to feel it.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[plasgears]

I remove the stress by finding a quiet secluded spot near the river during lunch hour. Also, I drive home along the back country roads playing country western on the radio. Sorry, this doesn't apply to extreme urban situations.

 

[lewtam]

Hg - what is it with the public sector and stress/depression? In my limited experience on the subject, I know of more public servants who have had breakdowns and/or chronic depression than people from the private sector.

From the outside looking in it looks as though they don't have enough stimulating work to keep them busy (all pressure without authority), so they internalise everything and screw their own minds up. Or is it the obligatory pretty bureaucratic politics that seems to go with these jobs.

Please understand I am not trying to be flippant and I'm aware the above is a blatant generalisation.

Lew

LewTam Inc.
Petrophysicist, Leading Hand, Natural Horseman, Prickle Farmer, Crack Shot, Venerable Yogi.

 

[epoisses]

That is because there is no correlation between level of stress and complexity of work or working hours (personal theory which I gladly trade for a better one). That may be because more demanding jobs attract more resistant people.

It's all in your head...

 

[HgTX]

Or at least that higher-pressure jobs attract people that thrive on stress.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[MRM]

I think folks in the public sector often fear losing their jobs more than most others. One major cause of stress in the modern (industrialized) world is a sense of not being in control over your life, and being at the mercy of someone else making important decisions for you. This is probably more common is the public sector, and probably more common for those who do one type of task; cutting the grass at the park, or plowing roads. There may be an attenuation of this fear for those in engineering type positions in the public sector, but the fear is probably still there.

In relatively small, private engineering consulting firms, where you have even more control over how you approach your work and what types of projects you do, that mode of stress-causing fear becomes even less. I think that the more autonomy you have in your job and the more skilled you become over the years, the better.

 

[HgTX]

Engineering type positions around here seem to be a lot more secure than in the private sector.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[MRM]

Every job in the public sector seems secure until it is no longer secure...

 

[BJC]

Become a stresser, it's more fun than being a stressee.

 

[plasgears]

BJC,

Sarnoff of RCA said that he didn't get ulcers; he gave them.

 

[powerjunx]

l3city,

I think the best thing to do is to "S L E E P" as it stands for;



S: Stress

L: Level

E: Elimination

E: Excercise

P: Program


You better keep this! Remember, when youre stress try to SLEEP!

 

[CADTeach2]

Hi All,
I agree with epoisses. Stress is in the mind. I have been working in stressful engineering environments since around 1987. I felt stressed as the rest of you have indicated. From time to time, I would really become frazzled upon the approaching project deadlines and milestones. Then in 1990, the company I was working for was bought out by a Brisish firm. The location I worked at went from 10000 employess down to 4000 in a year. Engineer's like to work hard and have satisfaction in their work. After the down-sizing, right-sizing or whatever we have been experiencing over the past year's in corporate America, it's hard NOT become stressed. But I refused to knuckle under and let my health be compromised by becoming stressed out. I still had my job, and was busier than ever because the work force was simply reduced too far. But morale had gone down the tubes. Finally, I made the decision to bail-out and I started a job search. I found an interesting position about 3 mohts after my search, and am having fun again. But stress is something that can really get to you, if you let it overcome you.
I think of those poor victim's of 911, and being in those twin towers. The daily project stress and deadline pressure seems like a "cake-walk" compared to 911.
If you have your health, and a loving family, that's alot to be thankful for.
So don't get stressed. Exercise, breath, and tke a stress-reducing walk around your facility.
Hat's off to epoisses... Good thinking !!


BLW

 

[KENAT]

I guess the ultimate solution if you're in a workplace where no matter what you do to manage it you end up being stressed is to change jobs.

Somewhat easier said than done usually and in its own way maybe stressfull but I guess there you go.

 

[JAE]

I just saw a guy wearing a T-shirt that read:

[blue]All Stressed Out
and
No One To Choke[/blue]