Work related stress sounds a bit on the ‘weak’ side to me… But I think I may have it. And it isn’t a great feeling.
Anyone else had it? Come through it? What are the perceptions of work-related stress?
Well I’m 29 and on blood pressure medication. Measuring blood pressure is a pretty good way to keep tabs on work related stress. Before med, I got my pressure measure at 170/100 and I’m not particularly unhealthy.
Here are my tips:
- exercise every day…and find a sport that u like doing or you’ll quit after a while
- make sure u eat fruit / vegetables every day (generally good diet)
If they don’t work, you should think about swapping jobs. Whilst the above won’t directly tackle stress, being healthier will make your body cope much better. There really aren’t any other ways to deal of stress as I think its a personality thing.
I’m in the office, drinking coffee and trying not to cry.
An interesting phenomenon with work related stress research done in the sixties when they thought ulcers were caused by stress, they figured the most stressed person in a given company was the CEO. They found, however, that working on a production line with no control over the work flow was the most stressful position of all.
A certain amount of stress is par for the course, and may indicate a positive challenge that allows you to fulfill a higher role. However, if it is particularly bad, there is something wrong and it needs addressing. Typical stress magnifiers are poor communication or trouble with bosses or colleagues, or you are being asked to do the impossible. No upside in any of that.
HG
[quote=“Huang Guang Chen”]
Typical stress magnifiers are poor communication or trouble with bosses or colleagues, or you are being asked to do the impossible. No upside in any of that.
HG[/quote]
Like working for the Japanese
Why not describe a typical day at work, and let us figure out whether you’re a candidate for stress, or just a whiner?
In my experience, these issues are far too common in Taiwan.
HG
Ok, fair deal.
I have been at my job for 4 months. My head teacher is also my line manager, and her boss is her lover. (thats important to know.) I have no idea how to do my job and explained that in the interview. They hired me anyway. In 4 months I have not had any training. I work with dangerous and aggressive students aged 14 to 18 years old. They punch me, kick me, spit on me, bite me, swear at me. It’s hardcore. So I need some training cos it’s a tough environment. After 3 weeks I had to ask for an appraisal, at which time I was told I was ‘ok, and you keep coming in so thats good enough.’ After a month the head told me off and said I wasn’t good enough at my job. She told me I was making my co-teacher suffer with my lack of experience. A month later she told me off again. Then in January an incident happened at the school and they had to make a formal report about the incident. It was a case of them shutting the door after the horse had bolted. It’s still hanging over my head now.
At the end of January there were govt inspections. The school took away my co-teacher during my observation and left me to get kicked and drawn on by large and aggressive students. I had to restrain one student and force them from the room. I felt like shit, and the school made no apology to me. In the feedback session (which I was dreading) I was told in no uncertain terms that the school doesnt value me and that I should leave.
A week later (on a Thursday) I told the head that I was thinking about leaving. She said we should discuss it and scheduled a meeting with me for the following Tuesday, during my lunch break. She then cancelled that and re-sceduled for the Thursday. Tuesday afternoon I saw her walking about freely, so she did have the time to see me.
I sent an e-mail on the Wednesday saying I didn’t want to work there any more. She never replied. On the Monday she asked to see me. The meeting lasted 5 mins, and she said if I wanted to leave I could, and that my problems were mine and mine alone to deal with, and that she advertised for a class teacher, and not for someone who wanted time to train and learn. She said moving me to another class would be a waste of time as my problems would just follow me. (What are these problems she thinks I have?)
In the last 4 weeks I have had trouble sleeping, and also an abundance of sleep (go figure), skin rashes, snappy behaviour, total lack of concentration, and social isolation. I feel like I want to go to work, but think thats only out of a sense of moral duty. I dont feel that I have a clearly defined job, and I dont feel like I can get any support, and I dont feel like I am being valued in the workplace. It’s just an endless stream of actions that may or may not result in me getting disciplined.
Is my lack of happiness in this job work-related stress, or am I a whiner? I think I am a whiner, but my body is starting to tell me something different!
I managed to survive in Taiwan for 3 years and didn’t like it one bit. But I managed it. Now I can’t face 10 minutes at my job.
Tom Hill, I think you should get out asap.
Nah, that’s enough for anyone.
Leave if you can. You are being expected to do the impossible without support, in fact not only without support, but with prospects of being made the scapegoat when the inevitable fuck up happens.
Get hunting for a new gig and leave that sorry shit heap to fester in its own muck.
Those symptoms are classic signs of stress by the bye. Bet the sex mood is off the boil, that usually dwindles fast in such an environment.
There is nothing worse than having nio support at the top. And despite the faults in Taiwan, you can usually assume you’ll have a job the next day, or at kleast have a fairly easy time finding another. It takes a lot of pressure out of a situation if you believe you can walk with ease.
HG
your symptoms are not just of stress…they are of situational depression (speaking as a amateur psychiatrist) esp. the sleeping problems… get out quick; it’s not worth losing mental health…
me im suffering from post-CNYLOS syndrome…missing Thailand already sigh
Classic workplace bullying
*indifferent managers
*criticism of your performance but no scaffolding for your improvement
*‘your’ problems, never the organisations
*‘other workers suffering from your poor performance’, not from other worker’s mouths but from management
*not acknowledging the ‘challenges’ of your ‘clients’ - I bet you they didn’t really give you an honest job description
I’d say gooodbye and look after yourself with R&R if you can affort to.
Tomhill,
You sound like a complete wuss. The students can smell the wussness seeping through your pores. Get yourself to Wussies Anonymous and start looking for a new job.
[quote=“almas john”]Tomhill,
You sound like a complete wuss. The students can smell the wussness seeping through your pores. Get yourself to Wussies Anonymous and start looking for a new job.[/quote]
Thanks for your ill thought out comment. I sure hope your day is made a little brighter by the knowledge that I am struggling with mine.
Man of the year: Almas John.
You should get out of there ASAP. I am suprised that they conned you (a Brit) into accepting the position in the first place. Aren’t most schools in the UK these days (especially in London) hiring foreigners from North America for the undesirable positions in problem schools? I dated a Canadian in London who signed a contract at such a problem school, and she left after a month or two (she left me as well 
). Said it was hell on earth.
Teaching outside of Taiwan is not as fun as you thought? Real life rarely is.
Do you feel you owe them something, TomHill? What are the consequences for you if you walk immediately – just not show up anymore?
If it’s some kind of moral fortitude keeping you there, I’d knock that right on the head, mate. That woman doesn’t deserve it in the slightest, I’d say.
[quote=“JAS”]You should get out of there ASAP. I am suprised that they conned you (a Brit) into accepting the position in the first place. Aren’t most schools these days hiring foreigners from North America for these undesirable positions in problem schools? I dated a Canadian in London who signed a contract at such a school, and she left after a month or two (me as well ). Said it was hell on earth.
Teaching outside of Taiwan is not as fun as you thought? Real life rarely is.[/quote]
Well, I was clearly suckered into it. But at some level I must have ‘over-sold’ myself to them. Maybe I didn’t ask the right questions. I implied what I thought the environment would be like from the answers I gave, and they confirmed these things. i.e. training, group support, good school ethos etc. But the truth seems far from that.
I’m happy with real life, and to be honest, all of me wishes this weren’t happening. I wish I was in school right now, teaching. But my body is telling me that things aren’t right, and some part of my mind is being affected, as I certainly can’t concentrate for very long at the moment.
Quit.
Don’t even bother showing up tomorrow.
You know the “No harm, no foul” rule .
You don’t show up, no harm done.
You show up, you’re harmed, their foul.
Get out. It’s a job. Ain’t worth it.
[quote=“sandman”]Do you feel you owe them something, TomHill? What are the consequences for you if you walk immediately – just not show up anymore?
If it’s some kind of moral fortitude keeping you there, I’d knock that right on the head, mate. That woman doesn’t deserve it in the slightest, I’d say.[/quote]
Methodist. Son of Methodists. Heavy burden of sin on our shoulders. Only consequences are in my head. Other than that it won’t affect my wallet too much, or my career at all. May even help me to get a better job.
If it’s making you ill, it’s not worth it, Tom. Look at what Taiwan did you you.