I'm not sure if this issue has been discussed here, but I wanted to get your opinions. What ways have you found to handle the stress of a technology career?

What kind of stress? I really can't think of anything specific to a technology-oriented job..

I can't agree more. 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)
x x o o x x

I'm still looking since offing the users isn't legal.

Thankfully my rabbit hobby is a wonderful stress reliever for me. Not sure what I'd do w/o my furkids!

I read a recent article based on a study out of Ohio that says people in the IT industry, especially on the support side, are a group that is roughly 97% stressed due to their work.

By far, IT is considered one of the most stressful industries, for a variety of reasons.

I've only been in the "industry" since about 15, when I got my first fulltime job as desktop support.

Today, I'm a "Wireless Infrastructure Engineer". Big name for someone who is in charge of the wireless ISP portion of a small company where I live. It's less stressful, but often can be extremely aggravating.

The most aggravating thing to me was the amount of overtime I was "expected" to work. I think a lot of others in IT share that same sentiment. It seems a 60, 70 or even 80 hour work week is the "norm" for those in high-demand tech positons. Not only is it unhealthy, but it kills the spirit. Hence, stress.

Actually, been doing this for 10/11 years now and I really am in a good company with lots of support all around.

On the other hand, what you're describing to me seems to be standard Corporate America. I see a lot of that in many departments at the site I'm currently at (and many others), but I do a fairly good job of distancing myself from the mess while able to do my work.

It's all in the attitude IMHO. I'm fairly good with people and they keep me around because of that coupled with my skills (to toot my own horn a bit). I've been able to use that attitude in any line of work I've been in to my advantage. It really helps. Ask MY wife.

A materialistic life we live in............

I spent the last year of high school working 4 hours a day tending to help desk calls in the 500ish PCs and Macs in my school. I had gotten my A+ and was working on my network+. I was seriously considering going to a tech school and reapairing PCs for the rest of my life.

But I am very glad I did the internship. While I enjoy PCs as a hobby, I could not stand working with them for 4 hours a day. Imagine working with them 40+ hours a week.

My father is a mechanic and he deals with the same stress that I was starting to feel. I said enough and decided to go to college.

I still find PCs as more than a hobby, I guess a passion is what you call it. But I could not do it everyday.

I tip my hat to the people who can deal with the stress.

First, with the economic and politics of the world today, any job can be stressful.

I enjoyed the discipline and the challenge of the work, but frankly resented
the impact to the family. In addition, there are 4-5 major software development
locations here in the States (ie: areas with more than one large company that
develop their own software; not like Seattle which is basically a two employer city -- Boeing and MS).
This severely restricts the options as to where one can choose to live.
I happen to enjoy outdoor activities and would have liked to opt for living in
the North West U.S., but that pointed only to Microsoft ... not my cup of tea
(Unix & Mainframes are my background).

Given a choice to do it over again, I would opt FIRST for a job that would
give me a lifestyle I would enjoy and SECOND an opportunity to live in
many different locations. It might surprise you, but I would opt/recommend one of
the trades (plumbing, electrician, mechanic) as you can get a job in any
city!
(hopefully someone reading this can benefit from my experiences)

Hence the reason I feel like an empty shell and this place (my workplace) has taken my soul....

I releive stress by independantly flexing each **** cheek to the beat of music, most any music will do, but some is not so good for flexing each **** cheek independantly. If you can independantly flex each **** cheek to the beat, that's good music!

That and performing interpretive dance, and lastly, farting in public, blaming others for it. Try it!

Well Blakhart has got it figured out!

I was lucky to get a job with the most accomodating people in the world, so I don't have to worry about stress.

Heheheheheheeee!

What a great topic. I'm currently going through some stress management. Not because my job is so stressfull but beacuse I make it so. When I noticed my blood pressure going up and not in the normal range I decided it was time tot ake action.

I recommend some stress relief books,. go check some out and practice it at work!

My boss was feeling ill and went to the doctor, and had 180/150 blood pressure. The doctor wanted to force him to go to the hospital, and he had to decline- too much work needed to be done! Thanks for answering.