The Stress Thread

[Thorongil]

What stresses you out in life? I’ve never had depression or anxiety but I do find modern life quite stressful. 
 

1. uncooperative children. I am no tyrant. Pretty gentle and give them plenty of myself but it stresses and infuriates me when they just won’t cooperate on basic day to day living. I’m always being sidetracked and delayed from getting things done because of some pish or other or general lack of cooperation. 
 

2. working culture. It’s hard to get anything done because of the obstacles places in your way and because you are always being contacted by someone about something. Emails, teams messages, teams meetings, phone calls, LinkedIn messages, WhatsApp messages etc. 
 

3. people are just so needy. I need very little from anyone and am a competent, independent human being. I cannot fathom why other people need so much from me and others. 
 

in terms of stress management I run and try to have some downtime but that is quite hard to come by at times due to the constant demands for attention from my family and other humans in my life.

 

what stresses you?

[SANTAN]

Travelling stresses me. I don't understand people that enjoy it, I can understand enjoying a holiday or enjoying your destination when you arrive but the actual process of flying somewhere or swapping trains and stuff just fills me with anxiety. 

[Bigmouth Strikes Again]

38 minutes ago, Thorongil said:

What stresses you out in life? I’ve never had depression or anxiety but I do find modern life quite stressful. 
 

1. uncooperative children. I am no tyrant. Pretty gentle and give them plenty of myself but it stresses and infuriates me when they just won’t cooperate on basic day to day living. I’m always being sidetracked and delayed from getting things done because of some pish or other or general lack of cooperation. 
 

2. working culture. It’s hard to get anything done because of the obstacles places in your way and because you are always being contacted by someone about something. Emails, teams messages, teams meetings, phone calls, LinkedIn messages, WhatsApp messages etc. 
 

3. people are just so needy. I need very little from anyone and am a competent, independent human being. I cannot fathom why other people need so much from me and others. 
 

in terms of stress management I run and try to have some downtime but that is quite hard to come by at times due to the constant demands for attention from my family and other humans in my life.

 

what stresses you?

Same here, it's got to be other humans, old/young/middle aged, whether it's fuckwittery on the roads, fuckwittery in shops, fuckwittery on tv, I just can't be doing with it, even my friends get on my fucking nerves. Ideal stress relief for me is to chill in the garden on a nice sunny day with the cat and relax, until the arsehole next door powers up his chainsaw.

Thank you.

[The Moonster]

36 minutes ago, SANTAN said:

Travelling stresses me. I don't understand people that enjoy it, I can understand enjoying a holiday or enjoying your destination when you arrive but the actual process of flying somewhere or swapping trains and stuff just fills me with anxiety. 

I don't know why but I love airports and flying. I know it's all a huge rip off and it annoys me that I can't smoke in a lot of airports but for some reason I enjoy the whole experience. Swapping trains not so much, I'd rather just get on one train/plane/bus than to have multiple changes. 

As for the thread, work is pretty much the only stress in my life but it's a big one. I've worked in the company for 16 years and have built up a decent reputation in the place but I have absolutely no drive to continue in my current role. Our department has been understaffed since March 2020 and there doesn't appear to be any movement happening any time soon. One of the (fairly important) office staff left and we've never replaced him. Another slightly less important person left and we replaced them with a complete cardboard cut-out who offers very little. Folk have worked some ridiculous hours to make up the work and a result of that is the department made record profits this last year. I reckon the managers just think everything's fine because we're smashing targets but speaking with the staff, everyone is at breaking point. I had an appraisal a month or so back where I tried to put this across and say that we needed help but it pretty much got stonewalled ("yeah, we've been pushing to get someone in but we can't find anyone with the right skills" which is certifiable bullshit in a time where half the fucking country are looking for jobs). My doctor gave me 5 weeks off back in June due to this (and other personal things), but still management don't realise the urgency at which we require help. We've been told that plans to improve the business are in the works but we've never been told what the plans are. I just don't know how to go about improving the situation other than chucking it, and I feel I'm only a week or two away from that point. 

Edit to add that I've found golf to be the biggest reliever of stress for me. I genuinely feel fucking brilliant out on the course and afterwards. Only started playing again this year after about 15 years away from it - I would highly recommend this for anyone who ahs an interest in it. 

Edited August 19, 2021 by The Moonster

[Bairnardo]

Driving increasingly stresses me out. I just fucking hate driving about and getting stopped at roadworks, or busy traffic or, and this might be peak.... Finding someplace to park.

Other than that, very like OP, kids not listening and having to repeat myself

[Karpaty Lviv]

34 minutes ago, The Moonster said:

I don't know why but I love airports and flying. I know it's all a huge rip off and it annoys me that I can't smoke in a lot of airports but for some reason I enjoy the whole experience. Swapping trains not so much, I'd rather just get on one train/plane/bus than to have multiple changes. 

 

Agree with this - although I’m flying next week for the first time since Covid and the amount of documents, tests etc I need is ridiculous (not the mention the cost). Of course entry requirements can change at the drop of a hat so I won’t be stress free about this until I’m through the arrivals at the other end and in a taxi to the pub.

In general - I am one of life’s worriers and I take my job far too seriously.

Not work related but I hate talking on the phone to strangers. I’ve no idea why - there’s no way I could work in a call centre, my arse would collapse.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Karpaty Lviv

[scottsdad]

I find that work stress accumulates. When at school we had long-ish holidays. Same at uni (though I did have part time jobs and the like during the holidays. When at uni, the Christmas holiday ran from Christmas to Valentine's day, a proper break. Now I can take at absolute most 2 weeks as work never really ends. I took 4 weeks off my first year working here, and came back to so much utter shite that I realised that such a break just wasn't feasible. 

It gets worse. I've been in meetings over the last few weeks with folk who say "I'm on annual leave just now, but thought I'd drop into this meeting". WFH has for many destroyed the idea of a break.

I don't work during my leave (but often keep an eye on my emails, which I shouldn't). But when folk say that they are working through theirs, it puts indirect pressure on everyone else to do the same. 

[Thorongil]

22 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

I find that work stress accumulates. When at school we had long-ish holidays. Same at uni (though I did have part time jobs and the like during the holidays. When at uni, the Christmas holiday ran from Christmas to Valentine's day, a proper break. Now I can take at absolute most 2 weeks as work never really ends. I took 4 weeks off my first year working here, and came back to so much utter shite that I realised that such a break just wasn't feasible. 

It gets worse. I've been in meetings over the last few weeks with folk who say "I'm on annual leave just now, but thought I'd drop into this meeting". WFH has for many destroyed the idea of a break.

I don't work during my leave (but often keep an eye on my emails, which I shouldn't). But when folk say that they are working through theirs, it puts indirect pressure on everyone else to do the same. 

Not taking holidays and being online when on holiday is actually considered an indication where I work that the person is a potential fraudster. But people still do it.

[Abdul_Latif]

27 minutes ago, scottsdad said:

I don't work during my leave (but often keep an eye on my emails, which I shouldn't). But when folk say that they are working through theirs, it puts indirect pressure on everyone else to do the same. 

These are the same fannies that stayed late at the office pre COVID doing nothing, just so they could say they were in till 7/8 o clock.

Me, I manage my workload properly and get the f**k out of there at 5.

Nonetheless though, the stay late crew put that pressure on others to do the same or look like slackers.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Abdul_Latif

[Fullerene]

Parkinson's Law

"Work expands to fill the time available"

[ICTChris]

 

 

[Adam]

Children is a great one. My kids spend half their time at my house, and whilst I love it when I get them from school or are dropped off, I constantly wonder/worry what shit they are going to get up to this week.

Work is a kind of catch 22 for me really, my job is incredibly stressful for one month in every three due to exams taking place, but I sort of thrive off the stressful tasks expected of me within that time, but the busy periods have been gradually getting longer and longer, so much so there was a morning in the last year that I pretty much mentally shut down and almost felt as if I physically couldn’t get out of bed. Took a week off and was brand new afterwards.

[Granny Danger]

Work and driving, and most of my driving is work related.

I’m retiring at Christmas and giving up driving soon afterwards.

I wonder what will stress me then ?

[Arthur daley]

After having a glancing look at  the evil neighbours thread ,it’s seems most people are stressed by there neighbours on here . 

[Adam]

After having a glancing look at  the evil neighbours thread ,it’s seems most people are stressed by there neighbours on here . 

Aw aye, who could forget neighbours!

[Arthur daley]

1 minute ago, Adam said:

 

Aw aye, who could forget neighbours!

 

That’s what your neighbour said Aswell

[HooseLee]

2 hours ago, oaksoft said:

Other people.

I absolutely loathe people.

Being retired means I can avoid most of them and I time my shopping and dog walks to avoid the rest.

They keep getting in my way, invading my space with their presence or noise or neediness and for the last year have been trying to control aspects of my life "for my own safety". Just f**k off the lot of you.

I don't understand how those who surround themselves with others can cope with this.

As you get older you being to realise that most of the shite things that co.e your way happen because of people.  Give me time with animals rather than folk and never as stressed.  

Playing a musical instrument is great for releasing stress.  I can take any mood out on the guitar.  If something has really angered me, I just batter the e chord on the guitar.  Never fails and sometimes a good tune.   Also supposed to be good in the prevention of alzheimer's.   

 

[Theroadlesstravelled]

4 hours ago, SANTAN said:

Travelling stresses me. I don't understand people that enjoy it, I can understand enjoying a holiday or enjoying your destination when you arrive but the actual process of flying somewhere or swapping trains and stuff just fills me with anxiety. 

Traveling with people stresses me out. I don’t mind when I’m just myself with a small bag. I can go through airport security easily enough.

Having to humpf massive suitcases and an assortment of other bags around for a 3 day trip does my head in. Makes me not want to bother going.

[101]

59 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

I wonder what will stress me then ?

Dundee United will step up no doubt.

[SANTAN]

33 minutes ago, Theroadlesstravelled said:

Traveling with people stresses me out. I don’t mind when I’m just myself with a small bag. I can go through airport security easily enough.

Having to humpf massive suitcases and an assortment of other bags around for a 3 day trip does my head in. Makes me not want to bother going.

Yeah 100%. It's far comfier travelling on your own but still a stress for me, I used to enjoy airports and flying up until the age of 21, had 1 panic attack and probably because of that have been extra anxious leading up to any potential flights or that. It's hard to explain because I'm not scared of flying at all, just something about knowing I'll be stuck in the same spot for hours without being in control makes me worry about it. Roughly 2 years ago I actually pulled out of going on a holiday to Rome as boarding was happening .