http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ex%2018:18&version=NIV
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gen%202:15&version=NIV
In October 2011 an article happened to catch my eye on the Internet. It was about stress and jobs. According to the website www.RandomHistory.com, in 2009 the most stressful jobs in America were: surgeon, commercial airline pilot, photojournalist, advertising account executive, and real estate agent. I can certainly see how these jobs are stressful. Especially a surgeon. Operating on people day in and day out. Always running into a different set of circumstances. Knowing that one, tiny mistake could adversely affect a patient’s health. Or potentially their life. Knowing that at any time, even years later, you could be the target of a lawsuit. Yes, I would call that stress. Maybe even mega-stress. I’m sure that the other jobs have their own unique stresses as well.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the least stressful jobs in America were: actuary, dietitian, astronomer, systems analyst, and software engineer. Once again, I have no qualms with their selection. An actuary, from what I understand, is basically an estimator. It is their job to evaluate potential risk and what it may cost. As such, actuaries work almost exclusively in the insurance industry - creating actuarial tables for all kind of events and conditions. So, yeah, I would say that it is a pretty low-stress job. One thing I would say is that I don’t see ‘mattress tester’ on the list of least stressful jobs.
Stress and work. It’s hard to have one without the other. Of course, some jobs are naturally more stressful than others as the above survey indicates. I mean being a surgeon has to be much more stressful than working at a doughnut shop. But there are also other factors that determine whether a job is high stress or not. Such as temperament. One person enjoys being a chef and relishes (a pun!) the busyness and demands of cooking for others. Another person hates all the pressure associated with it and feels stressed the entire time. Other factors that determine a particular job’s stress level would be - the condition of equipment (there’s a huge difference in working with state-of-the-art equipment and equipment that is antiquated or keeps breaking down), working conditions (clean, spacious & bright as opposed to dirty, cramped & dim), co-workers, management style, etc.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the least stressful jobs in America were: actuary, dietitian, astronomer, systems analyst, and software engineer. Once again, I have no qualms with their selection. An actuary, from what I understand, is basically an estimator. It is their job to evaluate potential risk and what it may cost. As such, actuaries work almost exclusively in the insurance industry - creating actuarial tables for all kind of events and conditions. So, yeah, I would say that it is a pretty low-stress job. One thing I would say is that I don’t see ‘mattress tester’ on the list of least stressful jobs.
Stress and work. It’s hard to have one without the other. Of course, some jobs are naturally more stressful than others as the above survey indicates. I mean being a surgeon has to be much more stressful than working at a doughnut shop. But there are also other factors that determine whether a job is high stress or not. Such as temperament. One person enjoys being a chef and relishes (a pun!) the busyness and demands of cooking for others. Another person hates all the pressure associated with it and feels stressed the entire time. Other factors that determine a particular job’s stress level would be - the condition of equipment (there’s a huge difference in working with state-of-the-art equipment and equipment that is antiquated or keeps breaking down), working conditions (clean, spacious & bright as opposed to dirty, cramped & dim), co-workers, management style, etc.
The result of all this is that some people really love their job. Rather than being stressful it actually inspires and energizes them. They go home from work in a good mood and enjoy life. Other people despise their job. It is highly stressful, they see no value in it other than the fact that they are getting a paycheck, and they can’t wait to go home. These people can end up going home in a bad mood, making their leisure time a lot less enjoyable.
So where am I going with all of this? Since we spend so much time at our jobs, we should try finding ones that we enjoy. Jobs where we can manage the stress. There is nothing worse that hating one’s job. Of being so stressed that you count the minutes every single day. I read a few years ago that as many as 80% of Americans don’t like their job. Probably for the variety of reasons mentioned earlier. There are only 2 solutions to this. These solutions I will share in tomorrow’s post.
Lord, I thank you for the many jobs that You have provided me over the years. Jobs that not only helped me pay the bills and put food on the table, but jobs that stretched me. Got me out of my comfort zone. Caused me to rely upon You. Also thank you for helping during those times when I was stressed out. I never crumbled or cracked. Because You were there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
So where am I going with all of this? Since we spend so much time at our jobs, we should try finding ones that we enjoy. Jobs where we can manage the stress. There is nothing worse that hating one’s job. Of being so stressed that you count the minutes every single day. I read a few years ago that as many as 80% of Americans don’t like their job. Probably for the variety of reasons mentioned earlier. There are only 2 solutions to this. These solutions I will share in tomorrow’s post.
Lord, I thank you for the many jobs that You have provided me over the years. Jobs that not only helped me pay the bills and put food on the table, but jobs that stretched me. Got me out of my comfort zone. Caused me to rely upon You. Also thank you for helping during those times when I was stressed out. I never crumbled or cracked. Because You were there. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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