If you have a stressful job, why do you do it?

[rickyrickygrimes]

I was speaking with my sister tonight. She definitely has a stressful job. Lots of difficult situations to deal with. Constant pressure from her superiors. And dealing with a lot of genuinely unhappy, angry, stressed, unwell people.

if you have a job like this, why do you do it?

I should add that I do not have a stressful job. I stop at 5pm. I go home and I can focus on my children, my husband, my own life. The money isn’t great, the status is low - but I have time and headspace for family and friends.

Because I enjoy it.

DH has a stressful job but it’s less stressful than scraping by. He has always said that if he can’t do a job he loves, he should do a job that pays him enough to do what he loves.

What does that mean ? It makes you feel good in some way ?

1 I love it
2 every unhappy person is a puzzle to solve
3 I feel like what I do matters
4 it pays me extremely well

it’s also only as stressful as you are willing to take on and I am great at compartmentalising things.

Sometimes people get so stressed they can't see a way out/ don't have the energy to look for a new job

For a lot of people because it pays a lot

I think deep down I thrive on the stress. I’m fairly sure I’m ADHD so don’t do anything until I’m under time pressure to get it done. The stressful aspect of my job gives me satisfaction when I make things work. I think I would get bored quickly in the same role in a non pressured environment.

I think that my sister find the compartmentalising hard. She empathises with the people she is trying to help too much 🤷‍♀️

Stress is quite often part of how we grow, and how we improve - I have faced very stressful situations, I get through them, come out stronger and better able to deal with that situation next time without feeling so stressed. But then the next situation comes along that tests me…and so it goes on. My job constantly tests me.

I get paid a lot of money. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Money / can’t see a way out / want to beat it / want to improve things / money

There are also some things about it I really enjoy.
It's the only job I've ever done and I'm 52.
I would not earn anywhere near as much if I started from the bottom in a different job.
I get a good pension and lots of holiday.

My husband has a very stressful job at times, but he loves his job, it's all he ever wanted to do. He says the stress is 100% worth it

The money is good and I have near-total professional autonomy. I’m not micro-managed, I control my calendar, I can be flexible in terms of being in the office or at home. I’ve done less stressful work where I didn’t have those benefits and didn’t like it as much. I have learnt much better methods for compartmentalising and that is key. When I’m in work, I’m in work and I give it my all, but at home when I stop working the laptop is packed away and I don’t have my work emails on my phone. It helps that I deal with highly confidential personal information (access to social care records) so I cannot access this in a public place and therefore can’t take my laptop to the kids’ swimming lessons etc or use it on a train, that kind of thing - that naturally helps with the maintaining of boundaries.

Money.

Money

I'm at my best when I'm spinning plates and running on adrenaline.

I've just left an easy job for a much busier more stressful one; I felt like I'd had a lobotomy at the easy job, my brain was melting.

My job is stressful and doesn't pay much. But it pays the bills.

This, sadly (in my case anyway)
I have spent years doing training and courses for my job (not to mention money). I am very good at it, and I love my kiddos.

I have had people tell me my job is a piece of piss and I do fuck all but play with kids all day.
I'd love to see those people last 1 hour trying to calm 12 rowdy babies while being understaffed, overworked (hence the user name) and paid minimum wage.

This is all I've done for 16 years, and I don't know anything else, nor do I have the time, money, or energy to retrain or find another job.

So I keep trying my best everyday because those amazing kids and their parents deserve it, but fuck I am exhausted and deflated 😔

Its not always stressful but can be.

1. I feel what the company is doing is worthwhile.
2. When it hits the sweet spot at slightly below my stress threshold, I get a buzz from the pressure and it keeps me focussed.

I'd rather it be slightly less stressful, but I'd choose occasional stress over boredom.

Sounds like you do an amazing job @BurntOutNurseryNurse !

My job is stressful, certainly keeps me awake at night and by the end of the week I'm a crumpled mess. But I am paid well, have a great team and feel like I'm changing the world at least a little bit. So for me it's worth it.

Interesting. My reply was similar and I've also wondered about whether I have ADHD.

Because it pays well enough for me to be sole earner and work part time, I enjoy the intellectual challenge and helping people with a skill I have honed over years, and be wise it makes life less stressful outside of work that I have a stable well paying job.

I recently went on a course for children with adhd - they said that I think they said the fire service and paramedics were over represented in people's work and it was because of the nature of the work - stressful and fast paced.