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 am on the edge of not coping at times but I have lovely colleagues, interesting work, I am stretched (sometimes too much) ,I am pretty independent in my role and manage my own diary, hybrid working, I'm good at what I do , not sure what else I'd be able to do, could work part time at different points and earn an ok wage, meet some interesting people, learn about aspects of life I don't directly experience other than at work.

am actively looking for overseas opportunities because the economy is so awful in the UK currently. We have become a low wage society.

Me too @sulkingsock !

May I ask where you are looking? I’ve got my eye on the US. I work for a global company and my exact role pays 70% more in the States. The cost of living is not much higher than London, and as it’s a global firm they get the same holiday allowance, maternity leave etc. as we do. Feels like a no-brainer - just need to make it happen! :)

I loved my stressy greedy job, until I didn't. It paid very well and gave me valued skills so I can be sole earner now on 2 days a week and live well. When it was good it was amazing, the adrenaline and the achievements. When it was bad it was awful. Once it was awful more than good I realised the money wasn't enough to keep going at that pace.

I'm happier now and less stressed but sometimes miss the buzz, and what I could do when I had to, and the difference you could make when you got it right

Exactly! Often coupled with “this is such an easy thing to do, why I am so incapable of just getting it done?” stress

Same as this poster! Also lovely colleagues and company culture make it a nice place to be everyday

I'm so glad I found this thread.

I have a high pressure job and am not handling the stress very well at the moment. This thread is reminding me of the many reasons why I stick it out (aside from my huge monthly mortgage payments).

I resuscitate people for a living. When I fail I have to tell their families the person they love the most is dead. Including children

It’s incredibly stressful and yet intensely meaningful. I like that giving everything I had to something - physically, mentally, emotionally and every second of my time - for more than a decade gave me the skills to return someone to their family.

My husband had an extremely stressful job (he died young of a heart attack, which I believe was related). He did it because he loved the field and fortunately was well paid. Super ambitious, he knew what he wanted to do from about age 12 and went after it. His ambition and drive was very attractive. He also had a hugely generous heart and tried to do a lot for the charities he cared about, working on social mobility and so on. He also was the rock for his family - his parents and five siblings looked to him for guidance and sometimes financial support. One of those people who just took on more and more.