I know times are tough...

[SZR48207]

But I think I've hit a point in my job where my health is taking a significant toll from the constant stress I deal with on a daily basis.

We has crisis #38262 of this week right around quitting time today and it was due to a serious product design flaw that I'm not personally responsible for but have spent the past year trying to fix and get in order with the rest of our fleet. Of course this is in addition to the literally hundred of other duties that I still have to watch over.

On the drive home I started having chest pains. I'm not even 30 years old and in relatively good health besides some nagging problems that I attribute to stress. There was no shortness of breath so I didn't venture to the hospital (where I can take advantage of the absolutely pitiful health care insurance my employer so "graciously" provides).

Where is the line? I consider myself extremely customer satisfaction driven so this isn't your typical slackass work complaint. I suspect my principles don't agree with those of the company I work for. They seem to be all about making the sale and moving on, which, evidenced by the year to date, is an absolutely unsustainable business strategy that leaves our customers with a shoddy product that somehow sells for an undeservingly high price tag.

I am not the type of person who switches his mindset when the clock strikes 5pm, and the way upper management runs the company leaves me thinking about work constantly. I haven't slept well in what feels like a year and I find myself becoming increasingly antisocial and bitter because most work days end on a stressful note.

Part of me wants to "suck it up" because at least I do have a steady job and the economy is in the pits. On the other hand, I don't know how much longer I can remain sane at work since I don't see upper management stepping back to analyze the company enough to make a change toward the better. At the end of the day I worry most about our customers who have to put up with the subpar nature of our product and our service division because we aren't adequately staffed to effectively handle customer concerns.

Given my fairly limited experience as a working adult, am I just dealing with the norms of working for someone else or would I gain some sanity from finding a new employer generous enough to take me in?

 

[Pop_Rivit]

You have two choices.

You can stick it out at your current employer and learn to not take it so seriously, or you can go elsewhere.

Quite frankly, while I hear a lot of horror stories about a few employers, there are some outstanding employers out there who truely are concerned about the health and welfare of their employees. Take your time, look around, decide for whom you want to work, and then start networking and get your foot in the door.

Not easy, but it can be done.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Given my fairly limited experience as a working adult, am I just dealing with the norms of working for someone else or would I gain some sanity from finding a new employer generous enough to take me in?


Boy, that's a tuff call for us Reddy, because we don't have ALL the facts. The grass is not always greener if you jump the fence. Yet, if you think you could achieve your potential better by working somewhere else, why hold yourself back?

There will be lots of great advice to follow, but I would like to start out with something that an old timer told me 32 years ago about my job/career concerns in the same vein as yours. I am still with the same institution going on 34 years.

His advice (I have shared it here many times): If you work hard with the aim to please others, you will always fall short, feel disgruntled, unsatisfied, and ultimately will never reach nirvana in your work/career/workplace. If you work hard to please yourself (integrity, ethics, satisfaction of job well done, whatever), then you will achieve a level of inner satisfaction that will help you cope with the other imperfections of your workplace (and life in general). Think about it....it releases a great many burdens you impose on yourself.

Also, I would consider counseling help if these things are making you ill.

 

[RISUPERCREWMAN]

When work stresses me out I hop on my 2010 Harley Davidson SuperGlide Custom FXDC! All is well in the world while riding my stress reducing machine!!! Nothing else on my mind but the 96ci Twin Cam V-Twin purring out the Screamin Eagle pipes!!! I highly suggest you get one of these stress reducing machines!

 

[Mr Nice]

You sound like a piece of bacon in a hot frying pan.

If you are that miserable and unhappy at work then you need to start looking for another job. If you stay at your current job much longer you will need perscription medication just to make it through the day.

 

[PandaBear]

Been there in this situation as recent as 1 year ago, as far back as 6 years ago.

Last year I had this chest pain due to work stress and work place bullying. In the end I managed to deal with the coworker in a new, constructive way that let him deal with the consequence of his decision, as well as refusal to work the way he wanted me to (for the right reason). In the end things work out but that takes a toll on his career as well as my morale.

A few job back I worked for a robotic company that is now out of business. Like you said there were design flaws in our products that the employees were trying their best to work with, as well as convincing the owners employers the impacts on neglecting them. Stress took a toll and over the years the employee count drop due to poor sales, and the sales took in more "law of physics violation" orders. I had no choice but to work there at the time due to my lack of experience to find a better job, as well as the recession. I don't blame all the problems on the owner employer, because survival means taking the lesser of evils when the best path is not available.

Reddy45, my only suggestion to you is to take it easy on the job and learn to accept that you have done your best, and wait for better opportunities to come and switch to a better job. Unless there is a safety violation that could injure or kill someone, then it is the duty of a human being to report it to a anonymous hotline (if it is a big company), or the government regulation or news outlet (if it is a small company).

Good luck.

 

[crazyoildude]

The people that do not let things bother them are usually on medication..
i am the type that just blows up and lets steam off and that works wonders, really..
Of course people think im nuts and that helps a great deal also

 

[The_Eric]

I'm in a similar boat. I like my line of work and boss tries to be a nice guy, but in the end he falls short. Why? Mostly because of my own intolerance. He constantly interrupts me in conversation, is self centered, arrogant, ignorant of many things and not all that smart to begin with. On top of that, he's an EXTREMELY untrusting person who will micro manage me (and the other employee) on the most absolutely remedial tasks. The sky is also always falling on him - in other words he always thinks of what could go wrong.

I tried to air my concerns, but they largely went in one ear and out the other....

Like I said, he tries to be nice and does pay well, along with several bonuses, but I'm to the point where I need to find another job or take a stress/anger management class. I find myself becoming increasingly short with him and often times I'll come home and rant for an hour or more to my wife.

To answer the o/p's question, yes, in strictly profit/growth driven corporations, it is normal for employees to go through what are experiencing because they (corp) doesn't give a rat's [censored]. They just want their money.

My advice to you is to just try and relax, accept that there is little you can do about the problem (it's largely out of your hands) and failing that, start casually looking for a suitable replacement job with a company that is genuinely concerned about both their product/service and their employees.

 

[tomcat27]

due to the economy, fear, difficulty of finding another job, and the tendency of current employers to work people to the bone because they can... I believe that many people feel the way you do about work. I too have periods of chest discomfort that I attribute to stress. (and I dont like using the word "stress")

try the following: more exercise, certainly you can look for another job, and try the following: while you may not be able to change the situation at work - you CAN (or need to ) find a way to change your response to it.

I am frequently told that I am (usually) very calm even when things at work "are not right". true. I have come to grips with the fact that we are expected to do the impossible. I do know for a fact that: the company is better off with me there; some of my team benefits from my existance; I know that I am helping us build a better product.

 

[daves87rs]

Sorry-I'd be gone. Money doesn't hold a candle to my health (and I do have some minor health problems myself) You can always find another job- but you can't really can't fix your health if it's damaged. If I had to, I'd work a simple job (like Mcdonald's) if I had to, in order to keep myself healthy. I had a job a few years back that nearly killed me-that will NEVER happen again.


While my current job is not great, it is not very stressful, and will do until I find a better job. (which I hope will come soon).
Keep in mind, I am not thinking just about myself, but my family that I would leave behind if something happened to me. And I love them too much for that.

I'd take a good look at your situation to see what you can do. If you can swing it and do without (some stuff), take a ""vacation" and do a full time job search. A buddy did that, found a job after about a month, and found his health and motivation greatly improved.

Good luck!

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

You'll have to find a way to leave work at work. Of course, there's nothing like a major health issue to put all of this in its proper perspective.

 

[Jeepster_nut]

The pay is the same. Stress and you get paid x amount, or relax and you get paid that same x amount. Dont let work suck the life out of you. Care as much as you are paid to care, and not an ounce more. In 100 years time, we'll all be worm food, so learn to lighten up.