“Pursue what ignites your spirit.”
“If your work is your joy, you won’t sense the strain of labor.”
These are commonly quoted pieces of career guidance, often shared with fresh graduates.
While it proves beneficial for some who find their dream profession aligning with their passions, it certainly isn’t accurate for everyone.
It’s feasible to relish your work without it being your ideal profession.
Many career advisors tend not to disclose the stress that often accompanies a “dream job”.
Stress is omnipresent, whether it’s dealing with a tough deadline or finishing a surgical operation.
Beneficial stress can motivate you to elevate your work quality, creating a better version of yourself. Detrimental stress, however, harms you.
Excessive negative stress can have a multifaceted financial toll. Here are some ways how job stress can affect you adversely.
1. PSYCHOLOGICAL STRAIN
As humans, our emotions shape us. They allow us to empathize and bond with others. Positive emotional moments can include celebrating new clientele, applauding a colleague’s achievement, or sharing your own success.
But occasional gloomy days are expected. However, if you find yourself persistently low-spirited, and it’s a challenge to motivate yourself to work amidst a barrage of harsh emails, you’re experiencing negative emotional stress.
This type of stress affects both your well-being and job performance. Decreased energy levels might be noticed by your supervisor and peers. Underperforming can lead to serious discussions, even the threat of termination. Emotional distress threatens both your personal well-being and career progression.
2. IMPACT ON HEALTH
Chronic negative stress can physically affect you. Speaking from personal experience,
I once worked in a job I thought I thrived in, yet frequently experienced stomach cramps and sickness. After I resigned, my health improved drastically.
Negative stress can lead to increased medical consultations and more sick leaves, thereby afflicting your finances.
3. LOSING CLIENTS OR ACCOUNTS
Should you have demanding clients or managers necessitating around-the-clock availability, your performance could suffer.
This can lead to a gradual withdrawal from projects and possibly losing client trust. If a client perceives you as unfair, it could mean financial loss or even job termination if you’re removed from the account.
4. EFFECT ON FAMILY STABILITY AND RELATIONSHIPS
Although “work-life” separation is recommended, it’s common knowledge that it’s often impossible to avoid. Venting about work problems to loved ones is natural.
However, if highly stressed, you might unintentionally take out your frustration on your loved ones. This could lead to a stressful home environment.
5. HIGH-STRESS ENVIRONMENTS ARE HARMFUL
Being surrounded by negativity is draining and ultimately harmful to you.
If you have constant feelings of dread about your job, listen to your instincts. A toxic work environment is detrimental to your mental health and finances. You should not tolerate a hostile work atmosphere.
Leaving a stressful job can be daunting. I learned this from personal experience at my first “real job”.
What I thought was my dream job turned out to be a high-stress position that brought me daily distress. The day I quit was the day my emotional and physical symptoms disappeared.
Since then, I’ve experienced highs and lows, but nothing like that intense situation.
Trust your instincts. It’s okay to not adore your job; don’t rush to find your passion. Experiment and discover new possibilities.
Simultaneously, don’t disregard your financial health. If considering resignation, ensure you have some savings, especially if you quit before securing another job.
Find a job that inspires you and follow that. Perhaps a department change or a different branch could reduce your work stress.
Be wise with your decisions and manage your finances. Pursue your passion, even if it’s not your profession.
Have you experienced any of these high-stress consequences? Can you think of other expenses related to a stressful job?
