Good point Scott. When we don't understand the goals behind tedious tasks, or when these tasks truly have no goals behind them, it can feel stressful.
My major stressors are:
Logistical
1. Caring for elderly parents and a grandfather
2. Parenting young adult children
3. Dating at 51
College Requirements
1. Job security
Unfortunately, my personal life is a major stressor. If I let it, it will harm my professional life. To elivate stress, I exercise. Depending on how "stressful" my day, the more miles I log on my treadmill. I also pray (I pray a lot!!!!).
My Stress
*Adequate Daycare
*My hours - having enough time to be a great instructor, spend time with my kids, spend time with my husband, keep house, find time for me
*My physical health and goals
*Long period of changes at work, redefining our role at the University
*We have been negotiating the sale of my house for months and I need to move before fall
*Extended family woes
*Personal goals conflict with family goals and career goals/opportunities
*Potty Training
*Accelerated sessions means rapid deadlines
*Maintaining friendships across state lines
*philosophy
*Taxes
*Medical bills and student loans
I should probably stop there before I give myself a migraine...
This is a great first step Elizabeth. It's nice to get everything down on paper and out of your mind.
I related with the list of stressors that was in the lecture. I am a single mother of 2, a director at a firm and an adjunct faculty. To keep my stress down I have to stay as organized as possible, when I do fall behind or forget to do something...everything will unravel for a while.
It sounds like you have a lot of responsibility Natalie. That can definitely be stressful. I like the way you keep up with everything and try not to fall behind. That's a good strategy. Though every once in a while, it's ok to take a break.
too much distraction and banter from co-workers in a office setting cause distress that I need to escape from - so i apply myself in an independant location and finish there.
This is easy to answer. I teach a different, and sometimes new course about every six weeks. I never have an opportunity to standardize or streamline my class. Thus, every one is somewhat stressful. I move from room to room where I don't necessarily have the equipment that I need, so there is unforseeable scrambling that happens, etc.
My stress streams from inconsistent assignments!
That sounds like quite a challenging environment Lou. For you, it might be best to just focus on the things you can standardize. For example, you may not be able to standardize the questions on exams, but you could potentially standardize your general process for grading exams.
Stressors can end of term finals, grades, and remeidation. We must meet the needs of our students, college, and faculty.
By identifing these stressors it can easier to decrease them ahead of time with using some of the useful tools mentioned earlier "getting organized" and "stremlining Lecture preparation."
As an adjunct instructor, my income varies a lot from quarter to quarter depending on what classes are offered. I've recently taken a HUGE drop in pay because of this.
I am also expected to be on campus at least 2 days out of every break week (between quarters). This makes taking any kind of vacation impossible.
These 2 factors are very stressful.
Everything else that I encounter as an instructor is easy to deal with/not stressful
i think we all can think of stressors in our lives to all the catagories. I think being a mom, a wife, a teacher, a clinician ect. contributes to trying to juggle all of my responsibilities. They are all of imprtance level, and can be listed out personally and professionally.
Right now, I have what, I consider, little stress. At one time in my life I had to juggle working full-time, going to school part-time, teaching and being a caregiver to my parents. I survived that phase of my life and learned alot about myself and what we all can accomplished, if we are focused and are determined to "make it happened".
Professionally, the biggest stressor is my students at the career college where I teach. Many of my students at the career college lack the motivation and desire to learn. I believe, learning is a partnership between the teacher and students. The teacher can do everything in his/her teaching arsenal to help a student learn, but if the student does not work with the teacher, the learning process does not begin.
In my 16 years of teaching oral communication, I have taught in universities, community colleges and a career school. My teaching experience in the career school finds the students with more severe deficiencies than university and community college students and much less motivation to lessen or eliminate the deficiencies. I want to help each student in my class to be the best he/she can be and I become very frustrated when I find a student not wanting to work with me.
Personally, my biggest stressor, is my waiting for my "significant other" to relocate to Phoenix. He is handling it completely differently that I would and it is taking a lot longer than I think is necessary. Our personalities are completely opposite, which is good, because we compliment each other; however, right now, it is a source of frustration. I am less "stressed out" by it now than I was a few months ago. Right now, my attitude is that it is beyond my control and "stressing out" about it is not going to make it happen any sooner.
The major stressors in my life are my personal expectations and my health. I was taught to always do the task right the first time or it isn't worth doing at all. So, I pay close attention to details which is time consuming but usually meets the standards I am looking for or close. My health challenges are out of my control as a three-time breast cancer survivor. I do all the right things as far as eating habits, no smoking, low alcohol in-take, exercise, watch my weight, and am aware of my normal body characteristics and processes, but the battles still happen. The cancer wars cause me to miss work, to hurt family and friends, but build and re-build my faith in God. Fortunately, my employers have stood by me during my battles, but there are horror stories out there to the contrary. This would definately cause significant stress to the employees/patients. The stressors are personal life ones.
List of my Stressors
1. High personal standards--work
- On-time for work
- Prepared for classes
---syllabus current and copied
---new student handouts copied
---new class set up in computer
- Follow rules
---Use copier during office hours
---No cellphone usage during class hours
---Use faculty lounge to eat in
2. Health
- Keep annual check-ups
- Stay aware of body functions/feelings
- Good sleep habits
---Read inspirational/calming materials
---Drink non-alcoholic/warm beverage before going to sleep for relaxation.
---Get 6 1/2 - 8 hours of sleep daily.
The simple fact we are in a resession and I am the soul supporter of our household at present time is stressful. I try to leave that at home and find work to be a happy place to develop as a professional.
Julie,
I think your health point is a good one. As I have matured I have become more aware of my body and health issues that could arise and try to prevent them, but I do not view it as a stresser. I never viewed awareness as a stressor. . . . maybe it is.
Problems with the economy can definitely make life more stressful than usual. But keeping a positive attitude and finding happiness in professional development is the right approach.
This is a great list Julie. It sounds like you deal with a tremendous amount of stress. At the same time, it looks like you already have a very organized system for attacking that stress head on.
I know that I've been feeling very stressed out lately but it all doens't have to do with work, much of it does but that isn't the only factor.
Working a double shift and being pregnant can definately make a person feel stressed out.
