Work stress suggestions

[CaptainCrunch]

I thought in these times of economic confusion that this might be a proper thread to, well you know help people out that are facing a ton of job stresses from layoff possibilites, to increased workload through to layoffs, to even those people that have lost their jobs, and their new work is finding work.

The other reason is that I seem to be having trouble with my stress points in my life and it would be nice to get some ideas, because the concept of not taking it home for example is not working.

Personally, I run a one man department, with the majority of the work involving sales to our existing client base. This would be easy selling except that I seem to be getting work thrown on my desk that shouldn't involve me, however one man department. I also stress because I worry about the implementation of what I sell.

I've lost any appetite to eat, I try to work out to burn off stressfull energy, and I don't sleep very well anymore, I'm usually up at 3 in the morning staring at the ceiling and worrying about the next day.

I would do the hooker and blow thing, but if I spend money on that, then my nest egg gets eaten away in a hurry.

How do people not take work away from work?

How can I reduce the care factor like some of my coworkers?

Anyways, surely I'm not alone in feeling this way?

[DuffMan]

A guy at my work just got back from 7 or 10 days in Mexico, and he has a new attitude of not being stressed at work. When people drop stuff on his desk that has nothing to do with his job, he ignores it now.

You need a vacation or quaaludes.

[Locke]

Actually a vacation may not be a bad idea, it'll give you a chance to decompress and it will force your workplace to learn to get by without you.

Or you'll get back and nothing will have been done and you'll pop and end up flaying someone alive and hang them over their desk Hannibal Lecter stylez.

So, I guess your vacation has to be long enough to make ignoring all of your responsibilities impossible from your employer's standpoint.

[mykalberta]

If you receptionist is hot ask her out.

Or

Punch your boss in the gut, make up some reason for it afterwards like "Happy Malaysian Hooker Day"

[burn_baby_burn]

If hookers and blow are too expensive, try alcohol and porn.

On a serious note, its hard for me to relate since nothing seems to stress me out (drives my wife nuts). If your work is making you this miserable, maybe you need to talk to your boss or even find a different job. I'm not sure what industry your in so maybe now is not the best time to be looking for new scenery. Still it can't be healthy having this much stress.

[missdpuck]

Fortunately I'm only really forced to deal with my coworkers for 2 and a half to 3 hrs. a day. I can more or less escape the public for most of the rest of the day. My job is pretty secure, but I'm really tired of the stereotype that goes with it (not the going postal stuff which actually doesn't bother me) and I find myself doing other, somehat self destructive things to feel better about myself. Not drugs or whatever... it's hard to explain. So I try to be thankful for what I have, but it's hard. And i have completely stopped hanging out with my coworkers, which is kinda sad. Except for a hockey game or two...that's it. I try to use my hobbies to feel better, hopefully they will be profitable, if not financially, but as social capital or whatever you call it.

[Ford Prefect]

CaptainCrunch ... if you don't own your own business, I'd say that's a stress reducer in itself. At least you don't have to grapple with losing your company.

It sounds like you're a dedicated and loyal employee so I suspect you should be able to find work in the unfortunate event that you lose your job. You're also in sales from the sounds of it. A good sales person is always needed, maybe more so during tough economic times than during a boom. Should you lose your job, PM me. I don't know what kind of sales work you do, but I can always use a good sales/marketing rep.

[burn_this_city]

Just go Punchy McPuncherson on a couple of unsuspecting coworkers. That'll cure what ails.

[missdpuck]

See, Ford Prefect is cool. Or you could always start a Fight Club!! Or come down for a Panthers game.

[Locke]

On second thought, if you're worried about losing your job, maybe taking a vacation isn't the greatest plan.

It might not be there when you get back.

[octothorp]

Travel is good, though I recommend not just travelling to get away, but travelling to see or experience something really amazing. I've found that escapist vacations wear off really quickly, but trips that result in rewarding, fulfilling experiences will last a lot longer. If you take a couple months off and backpack around Europe or travel the silk road or visit Macchu Pichu, you may not come back to work feeling as rested as if you had spent all your time on a beach, but the experiences will stay with you a lot longer.

If you love your job this next one isn't an option, but if overall you're unhappy with your work, give yourself an ultimatum of how long you're going to allow yourself to work there. It can be weeks, months or years, but again it's a tool for emotionally separating yourself from your work. Start to plan for your life after you leave; what will you change in your life? This is a coping device that I use. And I'm certainly not stress-free, but I find that this really helps during my roughest days here.

[missdpuck]

Originally Posted by Locke

On second thought, if you're worried about losing your job, maybe taking a vacation isn't the greatest plan.

It might not be there when you get back.

Always the optimist.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by missdpuck

See, Ford Prefect is cool. Or you could always start a Fight Club!! Or come down for a Panthers game.

Why thanks ... you cool too.

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

How do people not take work away from work?

Based on what you said above, I know you don't have a ton of spare time. I would recommend you read (or even skim) a couple of books by David Allen or Tim Ferris. Ferris is the Four Hour Work Week guy. Allen is the Getting Things Done Guy.

Personally, I used to spend a lot of time lying in bed worrying about what had to be done the next day and fretting over what I forgot to do that day. I don't subscribe religiously to either of these guys' systems but one tip that really helped me was writing stuff down. The reason I suggest either or both of these authors is to help you find a way to dump all your worries from your mind and put them somewhere you trust. That way, you know you didn't miss something important that day and you know you can just pick up your list in the morning and get started on what needs to be done that day.

For me, it helped quite a bit. A lot of my mental energy was spent trying to remember stuff. Now that most of it is written down somewhere, I've given myself permission to not have to worry about it. Yeah, I still fret about trying to tick things off the list but at least I've been able to sleep a lot better.

[Dion]

If you have a disability work plan then i would suggest going to your GP and have them put you on short term stress leave.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by octothorp

Travel is good, though I recommend not just travelling to get away, but travelling to see or experience something really amazing. I've found that escapist vacations wear off really quickly, but trips that result in rewarding, fulfilling experiences will last a lot longer. If you take a couple months off and backpack around Europe or travel the silk road or visit Macchu Pichu, you may not come back to work feeling as rested as if you had spent all your time on a beach, but the experiences will stay with you a lot longer.

Thinking about this, there has to be a good mix of both. I found vacations where I wanted to do too much sightseeing and travelling around weren't very relaxing. See stuff, but make enough time to hit the beach and get so sauced you cant see.

When I was Europe, I was trying to see everything in London, guess what, theres never enough time, so at some point you have to give it up and hit up a pub and get sauced and try and find your hostel.

[missdpuck]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

Why thanks ... you cool too.

And I'm cool with your friend's princely boob. I was just on a rant that night..just think: Bill Guerin's in town tonight too. Should I go down and welcome him

[CaptainCrunch]

Thanks guys, this is all great advice.

[JohnnyFlame]

Personally I don't think about my job for one minute the moment I'm out the door. Never have and I doubt I ever will. I go in, on time, don't drink so I don't come in hungover, do my job properly and then it's on to the things I really enjoy.

I have lot's of interests outside of work and I really don't do the(what I consider lame) base my life on what I do to earn money thing. I've travelled all over the world doing my job but it's the things I've done outside of it that were by far the most interesting.

Try coaching, doing a sport, get involved in your community etc. Put work in the spot it belongs--it's something you need to do to earn a living-end of story!!!!!

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thinking about this, there has to be a good mix of both. I found vacations where I wanted to do too much sightseeing and travelling around weren't very relaxing. See stuff, but make enough time to hit the beach and get so sauced you cant see.

When I was Europe, I was trying to see everything in London, guess what, theres never enough time, so at some point you have to give it up and hit up a pub and get sauced and try and find your hostel.

Yeah, I think that's probably true. Or probably, everyone has a balance that they need to find. But the rewarding experiences I was referring to weren't necessarily sightseeing, as I think when you're focusing too much on sightseeing, you don't really experience the place that you're in. Moreso, the people that you meet and the situations that you put yourself in along the way.