How do you cope with stress?!

[Halfmad]

Stress at work over the last few months has driven me to the point of leaving education and possibly IT entirely.

I have to agree with your richard, I am feeling very very much like that, my family have said I should go see the doctor but I know he will either give me happy pills or sign me off and that wouldn't look good when applying for jobs elsewhere stating that i've been signed off work due to stress so would rather avoid that. So my method is to sit down and cry in a corner at home and try and sleep, sleep is a strange thing I get only a few hours a night as I have so much going on in my head I can't sleep, banging my head against a brick wall is more fun at times than trying to sleep! All this mess is my thinking behind jacking it all in and leaving the job and giving up and rethinking my life, not that I could do anything else really as IT has been my life for years.

 

I could almost have written the exact same thing, more or less sums up how I feel. I don't want to be signed off but things aren't going to change at work - I've more or less been told this by the SMT. No money for a technician etc and won't be for at least two years.

[laserblazer]

Beware of going to the doctor. I had my blood pressure measured at our library and they said it was high and I should see the quack. He tested it and it was fine but gave me a self-test sheet to use for a week morning and evening. The results were fine. However, our annual travel insurance came up for renewal and the question was asked, have I been to the doctor? They weren't interested in the fact that I was ok. Because I had been for high blood pressure, they loaded the premium. I've changed to a more expensive policy but they were prepared to investigate and cover me fully. If you had been to the quack for stress related illness, went on hols and had some for of breakdown, chances are you wouldn't be covered. Even worse case, they could turn round and say it was stress that caused you to fall and break a leg

[Friez]

Actually SCRAP what I just said earlier. I'm looking for another job. Senior Management have just proven to me that they are a bunch of liars. My boss is going to be most upset when he returns from his holiday too.

 

Their latest decision is irrational and crazy and will make life difficult for virtually everyone, staff and student alike, and talking to them is like talking to a brick wall.

[Andie]

How do I cope with stress? Well I just read this:

 

I'm on my own, 400 clients, 5 servers, 35-40 projectors and a heap of other responsibilities that range from creating/managing the websites to setting up projectors for assemblies and even making up word templates for staff to use.. I also manage our budgets and have running arguments with SMT about what we should be buying.

 

and realised that what I'm having to cope with is nothing!!

 

Seriously, your workload must be illegal! Is there any way you could make use of students as volunteers? There must be one reponsible individual there. Sort of work experience and you'd give them a good reference, etc..? Even just setting up the projectors for assemblies and making up word templates might make a difference. But then, I guess you wouldn't have the time to train them...!

[tazz]

When I reached the same point as Halfmad (I've actually started not caring) it was prozec for me - worked a treat. Skipped it over the summer but going back to the docs tonite to see if I can have them again - sad isn't it?

 

If only I had more staff - AV, Phones, Email, Laptops, Workstatons, Sims, Servers - it's all down to me and one young inexperienced technician. Been promised more staff since May - still no sign.

[tech_guy]

When I reached the same point as Halfmad (I've actually started not caring) it was prozec for me - worked a treat. Skipped it over the summer but going back to the docs tonite to see if I can have them again - sad isn't it?

 

If only I had more staff - AV, Phones, Email, Laptops, Workstatons, Sims, Servers - it's all down to me and one young inexperienced technician. Been promised more staff since May - still no sign.

 

Wow, your doc actually prescribed prozac for you - lucky you - my doc told me to take up jogging as a way of dealing with the stress. I think I'd rather have the pills please 8O

[bizzel]

I get home have some dinner, sit down for half hour or so and then hit the weights and have a jog. Nothing like working out your stress through a bit of exercise. Cures me completely.

 

Oh yeah, there's nothing quite like a good, hard run to de-stress! I feel more energised at the end of a long day if I run, even if I was completely drained before.

[ICT_GUY]

Take care with meds, some for stress have very bad and fatal side effects.

 

I was on Seroxat (paroxetine) for a while, whoa did it make my head a strange place to be.

 

Also brother inlaw commited suicide whilst taking the same stuff, one of the side effects is that symptoms get much worse going on and coming off the stuff. He was just starting to take it.

 

Personally if the work is too much start complaining and keep a log of the complaints. Keep a job list on the wall, make a deal of putting new jobs at the bottom when people come in. If they complain about the time scale then tell them why you cant do it straight away.

 

As for time management, my golden rule is, if its a five minute job, it gets done straight away. this makes me and the person involved happy. I never make someone wait until I have completed a long job. Often this involves a short break and a walk hoth of which make me happier.

 

[ninjabeaver]

Wow, I never realised so many of us were getting stressed. I, stupidly, thought it was only me.

 

I come in most morning nervous about what's going to fail on me this time, who I'm going to be arguing with because they won't follow procedures I have in place to keep most things running smoothly etc. Butterflies on the way to work every morning. I can feel the adrenaline in my arms all the time.

 

I might just start to learn to program again. Work from home or something. Oh, and who ever made the portable stress reliever, thanks. Works a treat.

[kingswood]

Stress. Yes.

 

I train in martial arts and am studying a degree- so lots of things outside work mean I am distracted. Try and find something outwith IT to enjoy- nothing techie related. That's why the people who exercise are relieving so much stress- letting out some physical response will always trump drinking or tablets. The body releases chemicals that relax you naturally. Plus you lose weight etc. Not a bad thing.

 

I am currently training to take part in our national Karate championships so when I get home work takes a very deep back seat. Work is for work. Outside is for living. Get out there and enjoy something (or someone

 

Paul

[apoth0r]

I studied sport along with computing, so it was a natural thing for me to be a keen sportsman outside work, but to anyone who doesn't use this method I recommend it so much! Not only do you have an instant relief afte the exercise but the energy you build up throughout the week just makes Fridays (and the weekend) like an orgasm

 

Just doign anything really, I recently bought some weights, do a few bicep curls, situps, lunges and a jog afterwards is just so motivating.

 

Hope you guys de-stress soon, nothing worse in life.

[pallen]

I think you need to remember that you can say no. I have been employed as a technician but am doing the job a NM. My contract has still to be changed to recognise this and this has now being going on 9 months and still does not look likely to be changed. My response is now, if your not recognising what i do, I'm not going to bust a gut to do anything and everything that is thrown my way. I'm not really stressed, just frustrated that schools dont acknowledge the jobs that IT professional do in schools.

 

If it was an organisation there would be times when the workload increased that temp staff are taken on. It doesn't seem the case in schools, who also dont recognise that the job continually grows year after year. At the end of the day your health is more important than any job. Check out your contract again and see which jobs are deemed important and drop any others to the lowest priority. If you are still unable to cope due to the amount of work that needs to be done, it’s up to SMT to address this issue, not you to work longer.

[ICT_GUY]

I come in most morning nervous about what's going to fail on me this time, who I'm going to be arguing with because they won't follow procedures I have in place to keep most things running smoothly etc. Butterflies on the way to work every morning. I can feel the adrenaline in my arms all the time.

 

Thats pretty bad, at this point I would be thinking one of two things.

 

1. The Environment is bad. Some schools are like this and its time to move.

 

2. I need to make some changes in how things work around here.

 

I have found that the best way to get management on side is to make them realise how little they know and how much I know. Simple BOFH stuff.

 

Once they fear that the problem might be that they are stupid and that they ought to be listening to you then it gets easier. I practice this lots. In all the schools I have worked in. Make the problems look tough but the solutions easy, because you are the alpha geek.

 

If your system is failing, your network flagging. Start making noise about the quality of the hardware. Always have a get out clause and always make it known that if a problem is down to faulty code / hardware that you are the tech guy, not the multi billion company whos job it is to produce sub par software that needs patching just to get it to work badly.

 

Vista* is poo, not my problem go see Bill Gates. However I will do my best to kudge the thing into working. (*change as needs be.)

 

Sorry if this sounds trite, but IT is 10% what you know, 50% what you can find out and google and 40% attitude when dealing with the lusers that do their best to thwart the good running of your network.

[tech_guy]

I come in most morning nervous about what's going to fail on me this time, who I'm going to be arguing with because they won't follow procedures I have in place to keep most things running smoothly etc. Butterflies on the way to work every morning. I can feel the adrenaline in my arms all the time.

 

Thats pretty bad, at this point I would be thinking one of two things.

 

1. The Environment is bad. Some schools are like this and its time to move.

 

2. I need to make some changes in how things work around here.

 

I have found that the best way to get management on side is to make them realise how little they know and how much I know. Simple BOFH stuff.

 

Once they fear that the problem might be that they are stupid and that they ought to be listening to you then it gets easier. I practice this lots. In all the schools I have worked in. Make the problems look tough but the solutions easy, because you are the alpha geek.

 

If your system is failing, your network flagging. Start making noise about the quality of the hardware. Always have a get out clause and always make it known that if a problem is down to faulty code / hardware that you are the tech guy, not the multi billion company whos job it is to produce sub par software that needs patching just to get it to work badly.

 

Vista* is poo, not my problem go see Bill Gates. However I will do my best to kudge the thing into working. (*change as needs be.)

 

Sorry if this sounds trite, but IT is 10% what you know, 50% what you can find out and google and 40% attitude when dealing with the lusers that do their best to thwart the good running of your network.

 

All sound advice & that's the way I do things too

[mattx]

Sorry if this sounds trite, but IT is 10% what you know, 50% what you can find out and google and 40% attitude when dealing with the lusers that do their best to thwart the good running of your network.

 

Amen to that !!

 

That should be printed on a T-shirt somewhere or made into the site's motto.

[ICT_GUY]

Will this do?

 

http://wykeregisjun.co.uk/techsupport.jpg

[Geoff]

Indeed, I'm knowledgable and experienced enough to generally predict the mess Staff are about to get into. I usually warn them a week beforehand, then get to say I told you so after the fact. I aim for the double whammy in extreme cases and point it out when they are in front of kids. They hate that.

[Guest richard]

Well I came in from work last night from a bad day at work and almost ripped her head off, I was that stressed out

 

To me now the education sector is a lost cause so today I applied for 3 jobs 2 of which are not in IT at all.

[tech_guy]

I used to come home, fire up GTA3 on my PC and pretend the people I was running over/shooting/hitting with a baseball bat were the people at work who were causing me the most grief......

[contink]

I used to come home, fire up GTA3 on my PC and pretend the people I was running over/shooting/hitting with a baseball bat were the people at work who were causing me the most grief......

 

Just to combine the exercise with "kill!" thing... 10 pin bowling...

 

I mean, how many times has imagining your "Favourite" antagoniser as the kingpin resulted in a strike... I lost count

[jojen]

I used to get stressed about the job and not being able to do everything that was needed, staying back each night, working at home, not stopping to eat, etc. but then one day decided OK that's enough. I do what is needed, do more when its needed, but will not work myself into the ground anymore. The network is running smoothly at the minute, money is OK, people respect me (though same can't be said about the technician here) and I'm happy. I find being respectful to the staff and pupils gets you further than being a loser with them, but being tough when it's needed is also important. The ability to say NO and sticking to your guns is an essential part of any job.

 

Having a supportive wife and boss who can put up with moody days, and working out my stress in some of the ways others on here have mentioned, (gaming, excerise and so on) means I'm much calmer and don't worry about coming into work anymore.

 

To Halfmad and others in his situation - if you have a boss who will support you and any changes you need to make to do your job effectively - use them, get them to air your greivances, get them to make others listen. If you haven't got this support I'd look elsewhere for a job, making it clear why you are looking, as it's not likely to get any easier for you and it's not worth near killing yourself for.

Edited June 1, 2008 by jojen