Daily Stress

Everyone has stress in their lives. Different people stress out about different things. I once read that most adults may have some degree of Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder. This condition is most often associated with the horrors of warfare, but what about the other very real stresses that people endure over long periods of time?

My own stress comes from various different things, but my extremely negative experiences in the workplace (especially while at Hennepin County), may have made the biggest impact on me. Normally, I have an easy time falling asleep, but a bad situation that is impossible to get away from (as in a daily job in a bad economy with few jobs), can interfere with my sleep and therefore my life. What's more, I hardly think that I am alone.

Though my employment has greatly improved, certain events can trigger the feelings associated with the "contaminated workplace" I fled from years ago. Here is a hypothetical situation that could illustrate this point.

I am skilled in a particular area (such as technology). I support a workplace where others perform a different skill--which is the primary focus of our mission. My work is important, and there is much of it to do. Furthermore, I am the only member on staff who can perform this work. Yet my colleagues and managers will not follow the information guidelines as dictated by the parent company. This means that either I have to do it for each member of staff, or I can ask and re-ask for the procedure to be followed. Now suppose I tell the manager that this is "not a good use of my time," and he/she tells me that he/she will remove that decision from me and make it a priority for me.

This means that a person who is not an expert in my work, has decided for me, which of my many responsibilities is lesser or more important. Lets expand and say that while anyone on staff could process the information correctly, none of them can do the other work assigned to me.

So that would mean that I have no voice, no ability to direct my own workflow (in this instance), and no one to help do my important work while I am doing the unskilled job. I would add that I am also not allowed to disagree.

Such scenarios as this when repeated, can put unnecessary stress on the individual. It is contrary to creating a harmonious and productive workplace. The stress lies in the inability to make positive changes due to an authority figure who "pulls rank" instead of discussing solutions to the real issues.

I believe the correct method to avoid this, would be for the manager to ask me why I feel that this particular job is a poor use of my time. If I was allowed this basic courtesy, I may even be able to persuade the manager that I am correct.