Stress In IT Industry Causes

Though the Stress factor is responsible for suicide and Divorces, to cite some areas, it affects the people in  the IT Industry more.

 

As mentioned my earlier post it is the not normal working rhythm as a consequence,irregular food habits, lack of physical exercise,varying sleep pattern, setting up of high and unrealistic goals( most of them set for  to suit the Company’s needs,assumption of fake IDs  as in the case of Call Centers and BPOs,less time for persoanl interaction with the family(includes, apart from wife and children, parents and relatives, high Income at a young age, not finding enough time to manage family affairs, Peer pressure, multiple chains of commands and reporting and constant thinking of job all the time(the IT people would deny this) are some of the pressure points.

Stress Reaction

 

“If you’re in a position within the IT business, you’ll know that you’re expected to come to grips with huge amounts of information. So it’s normal that, from time to time, you’ll find yourself out of your comfort zone. How do you tell the difference between normal stress and something more serious?

The signs of stress

While the signs of stress can vary significantly from person to person, cognitive impairment is common. Indecision, forgetfulness, negative thinking, loss of confidence and a lack of concentration are all classic symptons. Physical symptoms can include hair-loss, muscle-tension, sweating and nail-biting. Stressed people make more mistakes, smoke or drink more, are more prone to accidents, and suffer from insomnia, loss of appetite and self-neglect.

So how do you combat stress? First of all, keep active and maintain your interests outside of work – many stressed people give up on exercise or hobbies, but not having an outlet for stress can make things even worse. Try to take a more positive approach to situations: adapting to change and viewing new situations in a more positive light will be crucial to dealing with stressors. And if you do recognise some of the symptoms listed, visit your GP and explain any concerns and symptoms.

As career consultant Sherridan Hughes points out, “No working environment is pressure-free and jobs in IT are no exception. How you adapt to changing circumstances is key to your ability to handle potentially stressful situations in a more positive way.”

If this ‘stressed out’ feeling is about too much work and not enough time, you may want to reconsider how you deal with people from other areas of the business making demands, all assuming that their request should take priority.

Log each request and attend to them in the order they were received, making sure any legal or regulatory pieces of work get done quickly.

Some elements to consider for effective prioritisation in IT:

1. Who is making the request and how senior are they?

2. Is it a ‘must-do’ or just a ‘nice to do’? Is it a legal, regulatory or industry standard that needs to be met? Will it hinder your competitiveness as a firm until it is done?

3. How does it fit in with the company strategy and priorities?

4. What are the dependencies? Who does it affect if it doesn’t happen immediately?

Of course, it’s vital to ask your line manager’s advice about prioritising requests, but he or she will be more impressed if you come to them with a suggested solution, rather than just a problem.

Rethinking your life at work

Of course, if you’ve taken all the suggested steps but you’re still aren’t enjoying your work, then perhaps it’s time to consider a job move.

You might prefer a different role within IT or a different type of organisation – perhaps of a different size or in a different industry. Sherridan Hughes adds, “Being mismatched to your role or organisation can result in significant feelings of stress. Within IT there are many different roles: web developer jobs, for example, are more creative, while IT project manager jobs are more people-focused. Consider your areas of strength and where you would like your IT career to develop, and then plan a move accordingly.”

Many people have been sitting tight during the recession and still believe it is ‘all firing and no hiring’ in the market – but you may be pleasantly surprised to find a new IT job that is a better match for your skills and personality – as well as leaving you a lot less stressed out.”

http://www.cwjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/it-contracting/handling-stress

 

 

The handling of this calls for a different Perspective to work Culture,where one learns to  distinguish between Job,Work and Career.

 

Evaluation of personal Dispositions, Aptitude and Attitudes are called for.

 

to be contiued

Related articles

• Suicides IT and Stress (ramanan50.wordpress.com)

Suicides IT and Stress

Stress, a defense mechanism is found to be a trigger for disharmony,disillusion,Divorces and Suicides.

The WHO study high lights an increase  in the number of suicides in India.

Experts suggest that the rapid economic development, setting of High goals not in tune with Reality,lack of harmony in Relationships as some of the reasons .

The incidence is high in The IT Industry, where people do not realize they build Anxiety at an enormous pace with impossible dead lines,irregular work timings,less time to spend with the family and inability to handle high Income at a young age.

Suicides are not the result of a single event ; it is an accumulation of pressure built over a period of time and it explodes the moment a flash point is reached.

Stress and Suicides

In a two-part Essay we shall attempt to understand this phenomenon.

Stress is organism‘s defense mechanism to enable it to survive.

Without Stress ,organisms will not be to bring out the best in them, react appropriately.

Inappropriate reaction may lead to the extinction of Life.

When one fights for air,water and other basic needs the urgency is felt and the organism reacts and it is basically instinctive.

Stress has both a psychological and physiological effect.

Psychologically it affects our emotions causing such things as anger, frustration, fear, burnout,anxiety and depression.

Physiologically, stress increases the risk of everything from warts to Cancer.

People tend to mistake Stress for Anxiety, which is detrimental to health.

Anxiety is a conscious deliberation of the events, course of action one is about to perform or has already performed.

Stress is that which drives  to take a course of action which you can not avoid.

Origins of Stress.

Man is driven by instincts.

Instincts become Feelings and feelings  turn into Emotions.

Emotions fortified  with Will become actions and repeated Actions become a Habit.

Basic Instincts.

Instincts of Survival,

Thirst,

Hunger,

Sex  and

Gregariousness.

These are indicated  above in the order of priority to the Organism.
When there is a clash of Instincts(which happens at all times during Life) among themselves ,Conflict arises.

These Conflicts are resolved by the organism on the basis of priority to ensure its survival.

For instance, if there is a choice before a Man Water and Food when he is both Thirsty and Hungry, he will choose Water.

Similarly when there is clash between Hunger and Thirst ,Thirst will score.

While resolving these Conflicts, the organism is torn between the instincts and we feel the Stress.

Normally Stress is resolved biologically by the Organism.

But the Cognitive instrument we call the Mind  starts analyzing and it causes anxiety.

We completely forget that in the battle between the Heart and Mind Heart always wins.

We presume that Mind does.

Therefore, the essential problem  does not concern Stress per se  but our cognition of it.

Mind is the instrument.

One needs to train the Mind to manage Stress.

Eradicating Stress is not possible.

Stress will cease ony when we die.

http://current.com/1mrbp4c

Stress and Suicides.

“Young Indians are more likely to commit suicide than previously thought, especially those living in wealthier and more educated regions.

According to a study, experts say that  India’s rapid development is driving many youths to despair.
Opportunities that have come with two decades of economic boom and open markets have also brought more job anxiety, higher expectations and more pressure to achieve, mental health experts said.
India has some of the world’s highest suicide rates, with many believing the biggest risk group to be rural farmers facing debt after poor harvests.

However, the study – published in the Lancet medical journal on Friday – says suicide rates are highest in the 15-29 age group, peaking in southern regions that are considered richer and more developed with better education, social welfare and health care.
That puts the young at high risk – a new phenomenon experts said has happened recently as more middle-class youths strive to meet achievement expectations, and new technologies like cell phones and social networking sites help break down traditional family units once relied on for support.
Overall, the report uses a national government survey of deaths in 2001-03 to estimate 187,000 suicides took place in 2010, making it the cause of 3 per cent of deaths that year.
The WHO reports about 1 million suicides a year, which would be a rate of about 14 per 100,000 in a global population of 7 billion. By comparison, the U.S. had 37,790 suicides in 2010, or a rate of 12.2 per 100,000, while India’s rate under the Lancet’s projected suicide tally of 187,000 would be near 16 – far higher than earlier reports and estimates of around 10.
There has been little scientific examination of suicide motives in India.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/suicide-rates-in-india-are-highest-in-the-15-29-age-group-report-234986

For Detailed Report:

http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/country_reports/en/index.html

Related articles

http://ramanan50.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/stress-in-it-industry-causes/

Want to be Scared Of Sleep? Read This

Sleep is a natural healer next only to Time..

If people start worrying about this, then what?

leave Sleep to its own way and Sleep Well.

“The July/August issue of Scientific American Mind made its debut online late last week. Here I divulge some of the more surprising and useful lessons from its pages.

Dozing Dangerously

Sleepwalking is one of the strangest phenomena I have ever witnessed. Despite its name, it doesn’t resemble any other kind of sleep I’ve seen. To me, it appears as if an odd imposter has temporarily inhabited the body of someone I know. The person’s eyes are open. He or she gets up, strolls or scampers around, and can hug me or grab a drinking glass. He may even talk to me. The slumbering human really seems awake—until it dawns on me that his behavior is distinctly erratic. The person may respond to me—say, take a drink when I give him a glass of juice—but in an odd manner, say, gulping the liquid as if in a huge hurry. His eyes might open wide as if he’s panic-stricken, but the cause of the panic is nowhere to be seen. And he may do nonsensical things such as pouring liquid from a cup into the trashcan.

In 1846, Albert Tirrell was acquitted of the murder of Maria Bickford because he was sleepwalking. By National Police Gazette via Wikimedia Commons.

When a person is sleepwalking, as we report in the current issue of the magazine, the brain is kind of half awake. Some parts, those involved in talking and walking, are operational. But other parts, those involved in reasoning and self-control, are pretty much in lala land, explaining why the person’s actions make no sense. Sleepwalking is apparently common (and usually benign) in children. But in some adults it turns violent (see “Are Sleepwalking Killers Conscious?” by Francesca Siclari, Guilio Tononi and Claudio Bassetti). In rare cases, sleepwalkers have committed murder, and at least half of those with sleep disorders exhibit less serious forms of unintentional violence. In some instances, the murderous sleeper has been acquitted (see illustration). But questions of culpability remain. Was it a strange imposter’s fault? Probably, but the loss of control is frightening for all concerned.

On the plus side, researchers are uncovering the biological roots of such odd actions in hopes of developing treatments. In the process, they are also gleaning clues to the origins of consciousness.

Microbial Madness

Speaking of brains subverted by demons, consider the influence of gut microbes. One parasite co-opts the intentions of mice such that they are drawn to cats, which, of course, then consume the brainwashed rodents (see “Microbes Manipulate Your Mind,” by Moheb Costandi). In humans, gut microbes can subtly change our moods and emotional states. The “brains” in our guts—a combination of 500 microorganisms that seems to vary from one person to the next—may even explain differences between people in personality as well as disparities between us in symptoms of psychiatric illnesses.

Notably, our bodies’ microbial inhabitants might make us more or less able to withstand stress. Colicky babies, we report, seem to have a less diverse array of germs in their gut, and seem to be predisposed to stress later on. But as adults, we might also be able to deliberately colonize ourselves for better mental health. Early data suggest that probiotics might be able to quell anxiety. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I am going to make a point of indulging in live-culture yogurt, and not just for the calcium. Taking stress down a notch, after all, can improve productivity.

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/streams-of-consciousness/2012/06/11/when-sleeping-turns-deadly-and-other-strange-tales-from-scientific-american-mind/?WT_mc_id=SA_DD_20120611

Goal Setting-How Harmful It Could Be.

 

I am amused by the recent trend in the Resume being prepared by those who seek jobs.

With out even knowing details of the Company to which they are applying-Standard format people write” endeavour to suit myself to the long-term and short-term goals of the Organisation, I will fulfil my responsibilities with zeal and attune my self to the goals of the Organisation and develop my self and in the process contribute to the growth of the Organisation”

Can some thing be more stupid than this!

Now coming to goal setting as such: Goal Setting

“

involves establishing specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-targeted (S.M.A.R.T ) goals. Work on the theory of goal-setting suggests that it’s an effective tool for making progress by ensuring that participants in a group with a common goal are clearly aware of what is expected from them. On a personal level, setting goals helps people work towards their own objectives—most commonly with financial or career-based goals. Goal setting features as a major component of personal development literature:

• “Goals provide a sense of direction and purpose” (Goldstein, 1994, p. 96).^[
• "Goal setting capitalize on the human brain's amazing powers: Our brains are problem-solving, goal-achieving machines."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goal_setting

One really does not really know what he really wants out of Life.

Our desires keep on changing, so do our wants.

At times we feel we want to become something that appeals to us immediately , just as wanting to become a film star after seeing the popularity, other times world leader in a moment of idealistic zeal:want to become a millionaire ,want to be one with out the trappings of money and live as an ascetic; want to be a small fish in a big pond, at other times, big fish in a small pond;want to be  married with a family, live single..the list is endless.

If one were to set goals based on these thoughts one would run the risk of regretting when the interest on the basic assumption ceases and one changes track which destabilizes the individual and leads to frustration and stress.

People plan on these 'Goals', little realizing that for successful fruition of any task, many an agent is required and that individual planning is not sufficient.

More than this we do not know whether we will be alive the next second.

All the planning in Life is based on the fact that we will be alive!

If one wants to be happy, Be happy(Tolstoy) for being happy is the natural State of Man.

Do not burden yourself with too many goals in your Life.

Life shall set goals for you, you handle those challenges.

Therein lies happiness.

"

1. Make sure the goal you are working for is something you really want, not just something that sounds good.

I remember when I started taking baseball umpiring more seriously. I began to set my sites on the NCAA Division 1 level. Why? I new there was no way I could get onto the road to the major leagues, so the next best thing was the highest college level. Pretty cool, right. Wrong.

Sure, when I was talking to people about my umpiring goals it sounded pretty good, and many people where quite impressed. Fortunately I began to see through my own charade.

I have been involved in youth sports for a long time. I’ve coached, I’ve been the President of leagues, I’ve been a treasurer and I’m currently a District Commissioner for Cal Ripken Baseball. Youth sports is where I belong, it is where my heart belongs, not on some college diamond where the only thing at stake is a high draft spot.

When setting goals it is very important to remember that your goals must be consistent with your values.
2. A goal can not contradict any of your other goals.

For example, you can’t buy a $750,000 house if your income goal is only $50,000 per year. This is called non-integrated thinking and will sabotage all of the hard work you put into your goals. Non-integrated thinking can also hamper your everyday thoughts as well. We should continually strive to eliminate contradictory ideas from our thinking.
3. Develop goals in the 6 areas of life:

Family and Home

Financial and Career

Spiritual and Ethical

Physical and Health

Social and Cultural
Mental and Educational

Setting goals in each area of life will ensure a more balanced life as you begin to examine and change the fundamentals of everyday living. Setting goals in each area of live also helps in eliminating the non-integrated thinking we talked about in the 2nd step.
4. Write your goal in the positive instead of the negative.

Work for what you want, not for what you want to leave behind. Part of the reason why we write down and examine our goals is to create a set of instructions for our subconscious mind to carry out. Your subconscious mind is a very efficient tool, it can not determine right from wrong and it does not judge. It’s only function is to carry out its instructions. The more positive instructions you give it, the more positive results you will get.

Thinking positively in everyday life will also help in your growth as a human being. Don’t limit it to goal setting.
5. Write your goal out in complete detail.

Instead of writing “A new home,” write “A 4,000 square foot contemporary with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths and a view of the mountain on 20 acres of land.

Once again we are giving the subconscious mind a detailed set of instructions to work on. The more information you give it, the more clearer the final outcome becomes. The more precise the outcome, the more efficient the subconscious mind can become.

Can you close your eyes and visualize the home I described above? Walk around the house. Stand on the porch off the master bedroom and see the fog lifting off the mountain. Look down at the garden full of tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers. And off to the right is the other garden full of a mums, carnations and roses. Can you see it? So can your subconscious mind.
6. By all means, make sure your goal is high enough.

Shoot for the moon, if you miss you’ll still be in the stars. Earlier I talked about my umpiring goals and how making it to the top level of college umpiring did not mix with my values. Some of you might be saying that I’m not setting my goals high enough. Not so. I still have very high goals for my umpiring career at the youth level. My ultimate goal is to be chosen to umpire a Babe Ruth World Series and to do so as a crew chief. If I never make it, everything I do to reach that goal will make me a better umpire and a better person. If I make it, but don’t go as a crew chief, then I am still among the top youth umpires in the nation. Shoot for the moon!

http://topachievement.com/goalsetting.html

 

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• What is the Difference Between a Goal and a Dream? (financialfuturesnow.com)
• Business Goal Setting and Then Following Through (socyberty.com)

‘Burnout in Job’ feeling’ -This too Shall Pass..

Of late we hear the term ‘burn out’ complaints from  people from various Professions.

It is not restricted to workers alone.

It is being aired by Sportsmen and other professionals too.

It is not as though that this is a new phenomenon.

You get distracted,become disinterested in what you are doing, not happy with what you are doing at present,irritability,sense of not doing well in your job and psychosomatic disorders.

Let us understand this.

When some one has been doing things regularly and keeps on reflecting on it,this  some times is influenced by peer Group,one gets the feeling you have had enough.

Right.

This is your present state of mind rather impressions triggered by constant reflection on what you have been doing or it might be what is called ‘reaching the Plateau’

This is normal.

A little further reflection will show you that when you are off from what you have been doing, especially in a profession, after a couple of days later you shall be wanting to do the thing you want now to avoid.

Then you might not get what you want and the frustration that it entails will be very severe.

Your self-esteem will take a beating then.

We all do certain things in Life whether we like them or not for they are the very essence  for our well-being both economically and emotionally.

One must understand that these fleeting impressions are really what they are,- temporary.

Best is to ride it out by taking a break ,say, for a couple of weeks keeping away from what you have been doing and spend time with family and friends and have a change of place for an outing.

Have Hobbies.

If you don’t have one, develop one-like Reading ,writing  anything.

If you are a believer ,Trust in God and do what you ought to.

You will find that you loved what you have been doing all along.

And don’t think too much – do not take these impressions and your self-analysis seriously.

Too much of Rationalization shall kill the Joy of Living.

In Life , nothing is Rational.

This too shall Pass.

Mind you this is from one who used to act impulsively at the drop of a hat and regretted it later.

Working conditions are important determinants of health. The aims of this article are to 1) identify working conditions and work characteristics that are associated with workers’ perceptions that their work is harmful to their health and 2) identify with what symptoms these working conditions are associated.

We used the Swiss dataset from the 2005 edition of the European Working Conditions Survey. The dependent variable was based on the question “Does your work affect your health?”. Logistic regression was used to identify a set of variables collectively associated with self-reported work-related adverse health effects.

A total of 330 (32%) participants reported having their health affected by work. The most frequent symptoms included backache (17.1%), muscular pains (13.1%), stress (18.3%) and overall fatigue (11.7%). Scores for self-reported exposure to physicochemical risks, postural and physical risks, high work demand, and low social support were all significantly associated with workers’ perceptions that their work is harmful to their health, regardless of gender or age. A high level of education was associated with stress symptoms, and reports that health was affected by work was associated with low job satisfaction.

Many workers believe that their work affects their health. Health specialists should pay attention to the potential association between work and their patients’ health complaints. This is particularly relevant when patients mention symptoms such as muscular pains, backache, overall fatigue, and stress. Specific attention should be given to complaints of stress in highly educated workers.

http://benthamscience.com/open/openaccess.php?toohsj/articles/V003/1TOOHSJ.htm