I was talking to a lawyer not too long ago… Someone who used to work with me and who is a friend. So, while we talk a lot about our lives, we also talk about work stress.
She mentioned to me that before she worked at the law firm, how she and her husband used to spend a lot of time talking about all the big things they want to do.
Work Stress For Lawyers
And then after becoming a lawyer, life got busy and finding joyful moments got harder.
She teared up when she remembered the job demands, especially the back-breaking caseload. Her voice quivered as she spoke about the high volume and the fast pace.
She almost lost it when she lamented how she felt under-appreciated.
Upon reflection, the work stress changed her; she became very serious and stopped smiling.
Work Stress: A Joy Killer
She spoke about how she was always on edge, continually worrying about deadlines. On most nights, she arrived home late and was in a bad mood.
- She never made time for her family.
- She was wanted to be happy again but was too angry. Nothing satisfied her.
- She was weak. All of her energy was used up just trying to survive work.
- She missed having dream conversations with her husband.
- She didn’t realize how much stress she was under until it was almost too late.
If you are a stressed-out lawyer, you can probably relate to this. But even if you are not a lawyer, having a stressful job can eat up your optimism and destroy your happiness.
Stress Management
Back to my friend… she connected with a stress management coach who helped her identify the cause of her stress and gave her a program to manage it.
Not surprisingly, she quickly realized the source of her stress was her job, so she quit.
It took a while, but she eventually healed and learned how to enjoy life again.
She started making time for joy, and had “dream big” conversations with her husband, the way they used to… and even found the time to do some of the things they dreamed about.
What she said resonated with me. I thought about it and noticed that the same thing has happened to me.
My nerves were fried from work stress. I lost my smile, too. After talking to her, I realized I could get it back.
Sure, the to-do list is long and the work demands are many… and I haven’t been making stress management a priority. But I cannot find my joy when I am stressed out.
Inspired by the example of my friend, I wanted to quit, too… but wasn’t financially able.
Rediscover Your Smile With Stress Management Routines
She gave me the best advice: If you must stay at your high-stress job, it’s essential to have some kind of stress management routine.
Don’t let your job kill your dreams.
I started using stress coping strategies that worked. I learned that proper stress management is the key to success.
Let me tell you if work stress has taken away your smile, you need that manage it. When you gain control over your stress and reignite joy, it’s invigorating.
Even if you cannot quit your job, you can change the way you react to stress. Manage work stress before it manages you. Maybe you think about undergoing resilience training using a stress specialist.
If I were to ask you today, is your job killing your joy for life? Has it stolen your smile?
If yes, set aside some time to explore work stress reduction programs. You won’t regret it.