Masque said:
...This has been the lowest-stress career I've had. Nothing out of the ordinary that I can see.
lucky you
Either you have fallen into a bed of roses with a nice company with good people
skills, have a staff job with little responsibility (no reflection you intended), or
you're just new to the industry.
After 37 years in Silicon Valley as a Software Developer, I tell you it is VERY stressfull.
Contract dates to be met, dependency upon other to perform well,
and managers that have never done the job themselves --- all lead to enormous
pressures for far more than 40hrs a week (heck, I never had 40 hours -- more like 60).
I've even see people called back from their yearly vacations to solve immediate customer problems.
If you have a wife and kids and they mean anything special to you, you WILL
soon be torn between the family needs and having your manager tell you,
"get this fixed or else!"
Handling stress:
1) admit that it is stressful
2) culture friends that understand
3) talk it out frequently, but understand it is not likely to change
4) make the decision on what's important Now vs. the Future
5) opt for the lifestyle that makes you happy, which may mean looking for another career
if you don't believe me -- just talk to my wife, Eilene (bless her little heart)
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