Once the base of the stressors are identified it is relieving as you then are hopefully able to make some logistical changes or solutions.
My list of stress:
personal life: bills, not enough time with my husband
Work:
overworked, understaffed
students feeling entitled
too much work, no overtime is allowed
Not being organized at times can really tip the stress factor off. Leads to disappointment in ones self. To do list is great, as well as keeping on top of organization.
Life in general is a stressor and it depends on you how you are going to handle it. There are things beyond our controll, but there are also things we can do to controll the stress and what life brings.
Right now my students are scheduled to be preparing resumes, but an important school quarterly survey has removed the computer room from my schedule for this entire week. this is from both college and organizational requirements. My students will still get what they need since I will re-organize the curriculum around their computer room needs but it could be a stressor for both myself and my students. Setting the example, we will get into the computer room when it is available.
Most of my stressors come from work, Instructors not holding the students accountable for thier actions or leaning experience. Next would be management or administration staff not paying attention to the details of there job.
Fortunately, teaching adults is not a stressor for me. I find the time in the class with my adult students rejuvenating.
The stessors I feel are:
Work related (9 to 5 job)
College age children
Job availability for them after college
Sharing the care of a family member with Alzheimers
As an instructor, I use the time I enjoy facilitating a class, seeing adult students excited about learning as a time to "forget" about the everyday stressors.
The areas that I identify which causes me to stress are family and work (9 to 5). Fortunately I find teaching my adult students is exhilirating. I actually enjoy the planning and delivering of my lessons and it helps to deescalate my daily encounters at work and to actually feel as if I have accomplished my goal as an instructor.
Thanks for sharing Ellen! This brings up an important point. There are certain events that happen in our schedule that we just can't plan for. These just tend to pop up every now and then. To account for them, it's best to build a buffer into our schedules. This way, we can be prepared for the unexpected.
One of the institutions I work for has some very specific requirements that must be met in each course I teach. Initially, these requirements were not communicated to me clearly, and I was reprimanded for not meeting them. It was quite upsetting to be penalized for an error that I didn't even realize I was making. Thankfully, my faculty manager realized the miscommunication and I am hoping steps are now in place to avoid this for other instructors in the future. Nevertheless, the experience has left me concerned that I may be missing some standards in my courses. My goal is to teach the course material thoroughly and clearly, and the requirement that I meet some "housekeeping" and "red tape" standards is frustrating. I've accepted it as "part of the job" and just hope that I remain clear on the expectations from here on out.
Stressors at work,
Mosty logistical.
Keeping on a time schedule moving the class through workstations and reviews of those workstations and getting done on time. This seems to always be a challenge and causes me much stress.
Home life,
I have a 19 year old daughter that does not want to work or go to school. Yes a lot of stress.
-Long Commute
-Focusing on my own classes I am taking
-Non-stop busy weekends
-Other jobs
-Family Time
Organization Factors:
These stresses are base around my home life as well as my work life. I have a hour and 15 minute commute to work every day now that I have just moved to a new city, which is a stressor on its own. I am currently still pursing my own education which I need a little more time to focus on. I have other jobs that I have to go to Monday-Friday which keep my weeks days booked.
Student Needs:
As to my work life in the career school it is absolutely great. There are only a few stressors that come from this area. Like keeping up with daily tasks and making sure the students are learning and comprehending the material covered.
I am noticing that I need to make a few changes to decrease the stress in my current situations.
Most of my stressors come from work, family, decisions etc. Everything can be a stressor if over analyzed. We can not freak out about things we can not control.
Yes, a lot of stress indeed David! Work stress can be particularly hard to manage when we are experiencing major forms of stress at home as well. The situation you are experiencing with your daughter sounds tough. It sounds like you are balancing a lot right now.
I feel the same way. Unpected change and lower pay affect my workplace.
This is a great inventory Jennifer. Thanks for sharing. Your commute sounds really long. This can definitely add stress to your life because it takes time away that you could be using to complete other tasks. You might explore finding ways to make good use of your commute time. Books on tape, calls (in states where your cell phone is permitted in the car) and other activities may help!
I am stressed out when I covered a subject for five consecutive days. The day of the test, the class collectively explain that they unprepared for the test. The error on my part may be that I post poned the test to give the class a chance. Only to give them the test later, and they are still complaining. That whole incident stresses me out. It is important that I get full cooperation in student retention through studying. When I don't see compliance and hear excuses that upsets me.
It's hard when students take advantage of our flexibility. I always recommend setting deadlines and keeping them. Letting students learn in a structured context helps them prepare for the structured work world. We do not do them any favors by department from our standards.
I love my work and my career as part-time faculty (waiting for full-time)at a career college. BUT, when I add up all that is required of me--teaching, grading, new class preps, mentoring, meetings, seminars, training, etc.--what really stresses me out--is not getting paid fairly for this output. In an economy that is difficult now, alot of faculty are in the same boat. I feel that is my major stressor. Jobs will always have logistical stresses, student stresses, etc. and family stress never goes away!! lol
I agree that commute to and from work and preparation time for class can be major issues for stress. It takes conscious effort daily to give yourself enough time to do both, but will help with alleviating the stress.
