Workplace Stress

You thought you did everything right. You were a pretty good student who worked hard enough to get into a decent post-secondary school. You studied hard at university and graduated with excellent marks. Not long after finishing school, you landed a job that was in your field and presented enough challenge to be interesting. You moved to a couple different jobs until you found 'the one'.  It offered challenges, was a leader in its industry and offered plenty of growth for you on your career path.  You took it and began your trek up the corporate ladder.  Sure, you've had your ups and downs and there have absolutely been a few managers and executives you'd like to do without, but the bottom line is: you're living the dream, right?

Well, dream becomes nightmare mighty fast when years later you become one of those upper management guys who is constantly barraged with complainers from below and task masters from above. Why can't you increase productivity with less staff? Why can't you make the staff in India and China, half a world away, be more 'gung ho' and productive and work all the overtime you need them to in order to get the job done? Why are orders delayed and customers complaining that items aren't shipped on time? Why aren't your employees taking their required vacation time because you know company policy prevents us from paying out unused vacation?

And so it goes. You've numbed yourself to twenty years of pressure and ridiculous expectations and drag your sorry butt out of bed every morning to face the same ten hours of firing squad and electric chair tasks. You almost don't hear the boss when he yells anymore and you certainly don't open your mouth for fear you'll tell him what you really think of him.

After the misery of your day you step into your house that is supposed to be your castle and you see imperfection everywhere. You kick the dog and yell at the kids to turn off the TV and clean their room. You ignore your wife or complain to her depending on whether you feel she's done anything productive today. Why doesn't she dress nicer and wear some makeup once in a while? When will she dye that gray out of her hair?

And so it is. Misery and frustration and anger and pain and guilt and absolute profound sadness. This is the dream soured by time. You not only built this temple of doom for yourself but your family gets sucked through the vacuum and along for the ride. Where does this end? What action are you taking to fix it?

Einstein was right when he said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  If you don't shake your head and choose to change just ONE thing, then the misery will continue in a never ending spiral that has no sunny conclusion. That sad story ends in illness (heart attack) or divorce or mental breakdown. You can only hope that it's not too late.

One small change today can give you the courage to make two small changes tomorrow. The positive outcome of these small changes can make you bold enough to do something bigger. Then maybe, if you're really lucky, you begin to see hope where before was only despair. You may see light where there was only darkness. And perhaps your reasons for living and loving have become more obvious. It is then that you begin to make the world a better place.