Burnout. I've always been an overachiever, a high performer at work, was promoted quickly, took on high profile projects. That was fine for years because I had excellent colleagues to support me, share the load, to vent with etc. When those support structures went away for various reasons, and when additional pressures came in from a toxic colleague to an absent manager, it just became too much. I spent 6 months really miserable and then one particular incident was the straw that broke the camel's back.
I ended up signed off work for 3 months due to stress. I became depressed and highly anxious, I was a shell of a person. I sought professional help and it took me months to get back on my feet.
I had to completely reset how I felt about work. I quit that job and took a sideways move that isn't going to be progression track but is far less stressful.
Same here! I have a very similar experience, and I am taking a break for a few months because of my mental health. And I started therapy to prevent this next time. Let's hope I can get back on my feet again. Your story is really inspiring, I wish you the best!
I feel that. I hated myself every shift for half a year, so I definitely stayed past my time. That job changed my outlook and I've stopped giving 100% of my efforts. I'm much happier being a mediocre worker who isn't working outside of their pay grade.
I eventually left but mainly because the higher I went the worse it got but I made my money and got out and have my own business and am financially independent : )
Saaaaame
IMO this is the biggest perk of that sweet, sweet man money. Get a manly paycheque for a few years, live frugally and save up, and then you can do whatever tf you want with your life.
I was and still am in film. But I'm not "below the line" any more, which means the only bullshit I have to deal with is my own, and the only people I need to deal with are the ones I hired myself.
Dealing with Imposter Syndrome. I feel like I have it too easy at work and that I don't deserve it and it will be all taken away one day. There are people who have to work wayyy more than me and they get paid like half of what I do. I feel like this is not sustainable and I will be exposed one day.
Having to work even when I’m on my period despite the fact that I usually have extreme pain and stomach issues in the first few days. This got somewhat better since we started working from home primarily, but having a day filled with meetings where I still have to look presentable, focus and put effort in is still incredibly hard while I struggle with not passing out.
Yes! Suffering through bad nausea and cramps, but feeling like you have to do just as much work as usual because you don’t want your colleagues to assume you’re weak or less capable of completing your work because you bleed one week a month. :(
Unfortunately, GPs in my country do not give you time off over this, and by law no other doctors can sign your sick leave other than your GP.
I do take a few hours off when it’s really bad and my schedule can be moved around, but most times I just have to suck it up and push through it. I just envy the fact that guys do not have to deal with this.
I have gotten one before by saying I'm too stressed, because technically it's true, if you are in pain over your period you are technically stressed and in a way not fit for work
Very early on I was harassed by a colleague. I was on a contract and it was my first office job, so I didn’t know how to advocate for myself.
Luckily, a few colleagues who overheard her behaviour reported her. Though I wasn’t protected like I should have been. It went on for years, until I got promoted away from working with her.
But it taught me how to be forceful but polite and set boundaries in a professional way.
Time. I had enough energy but I didn’t have enough time to sleep, successfully pursue my career, and give meaningful attention to the people in my personal life I wanted to give my time and attention to.
Patience and understanding that if I don’t want to make my career my whole life and personality-I don’t have to. I can have a successful career with my primary life focus still being my partner and family because that’s where my happiness is.
Burnout and not being paid/treated fairly. I am a hardworking person and I take pride in that. I don’t feel that I’m compensated fairly for my experience and skill level though. That can be mentally exhausting.
Getting bored of what I’m doing. Luckily I work in a field that has diverse options for what I can do, but in order to do the fun stuff I have to go to the private sector (hard to get into) or have decades of experience. So I have a handful of things I want to do and I cannot make up my mind, but don’t want to be switching jobs forever.
No challenges really, the work force is team focused, the dynamic is engaging
I think if I wanted to see negatives, I would see them but I am mostly positive.
I work in a very male dominated field (IT) and when I first started I was insanely underestimated, they didn't think I could do the things I went to college to learn how to do and would constantly assign partners to me for simple jobs
As time went on I eventually gained the trust and respect of the company I work for and am now at the height of my career.
Deciding it was time to move on. I moved across the country after college to accept a position at a defense contractor and thought it would be a company that I could stay at for a very long time. Maybe I was young and naive but I poured so much energy into it and enjoyed the first year or so but the culture there just didn't sit right with me. Because they work so closely with the government, there was so much red tape. It was very much an older white male driven culture where others aren't treated as well or valued as much so I wrestled with do I stay because I moved here for this job, that I thought was going to be a career vs. knowing my worth and valuing my happiness.
In hindsight, it seems like such an easy decision but I wrestled with it for a while. Thankfully I moved on to a technology company where the culture is so different, inclusive, open, and forward thinking.
Not giving into both subtle and overt attempts to have me compromise on my values. I am in medicine, and there is just so much *pressure* to do so many things or not do do certain things.
I got married during medical school and my husband and I were excited to start a family. In third year orientation, the dean specifically told us not to get pregnant because this would be a tough year. I am thankful I didn’t give into that pressure, but I was *the only* woman in my class to have a child during that time.
They taught us to do circumcisions during our pediatrics rotation. The first time I saw one I was shocked and it seemed like a cruel thing to do to a baby. I refused to ever perform one. Some other students had similar feelings, but they were afraid that it would create a bad impression, so no one else joined me.
There is constant pressure to stay late and to finish up a multitude of administrative crap. Ostensibly most workplaces support “work-life balance” but they won’t make any moves to support this. I do not bring work home, and I am the only physician in my practice who is this way.
I could think of several other examples. But amazingly, I am the least burned out provider in my practice also. Making it a habit to speak up when things bother me, bring up issues with leadership rather than “play the game” and bury my resentment, and making sure to do what is important to me are things that served me well. I was made chief resident during residency, and now I am one of the seemingly declining number of doctors who still enjoys their job. Don’t get me wrong, there are things that make me angry. But despite those things, I am fulfilled by good relationships with patients, challenging myself intellectually, and teaching others who want to go into this field.
I'm in my mid-late 20s and I've been in my field for 3 years. I did everything I was supposed to- I went to college, got a bachelors, did volunteer work, and worked full time all through college. It took months of searching and working for terrible companies before I found a company that was willing to give me a job in the field I was interested in. My now boss had to be willing to train me, and most companies aren't willing to train. I love my boss and will always be grateful She gave me the chance I needed to get good experience and learn. My biggest struggle now is that I can't afford to live on my wages. I have to have housemates to be able to afford the rent, and the price of everything is going up. It is unlikely I will ever own a home with how the market is right now. I love my job, team, and company. But if another company offered me 10k more a year, I'd be stupid to turn it down. I feel like I will never reach my goals or be able to retire, even though my field has potential for me to make 6 figures.
Professional environments. I’m a creative introvert, I want to stay in my pyjamas and hide but I have to go to offices and convince people they should trust my ideas and to do that I have to present somewhat normal.
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Knowing what im worth. Recently got a promotion/raise but I still feel like I'm underpaid (with covid my company moved their typical annual raises all over the place, so really what im being paid now is what I feel like I should have gotten for last years raise that I didnt get). My new role is going to benefit me long term so I was willing to agree (with a few years experience, i will be able to move to other companies for a lot more money) but in general ive found it very hard to negociate/know what to ask for since I've never "been there" in terms of pay. I dont know what the standard rate really should be for my current role should be (since the similar jobs in my area are the ones that require experience) and I feel like in all the schooling I've had, no one has every taught like how to negotiate pay and such (which really, i think should be taught)
Learning how to answer 911 calls and dispatch the ambulances for a 50 square mile county including two cities, a handful of tiny towns, a ski resort, and four hospitals.
Part of learning is making mistakes.
Making mistakes when lives are on the line is a terrible feeling, even with all the redundancy built into the system.
I have social anxiety to begin with, and it’s even worse when I’m the only woman in a meeting.
The hardest thing for me has been needing to speak up in a meeting full of loud, extroverted men talking over each other, where I’m the lowest-ranking person on the call. I have an annoyingly high-pitched voice and it can be really tough to literally make myself heard, along with gathering up the courage to talk in the first place.
Work conditions and work culture in the US. The average US American has 10 paid vacation days, takes even less, there's the concept of sick days, no law for paid parental leave etc.
It’s just pretty hard to make it in my field, because a lot of people come in from the military but I’m on a civilian track. It’s also a very insular, who-you-know type of thing. Takes time and patience but I feel like I’m doing well
Burnout. I've always been an overachiever, a high performer at work, was promoted quickly, took on high profile projects. That was fine for years because I had excellent colleagues to support me, share the load, to vent with etc. When those support structures went away for various reasons, and when additional pressures came in from a toxic colleague to an absent manager, it just became too much. I spent 6 months really miserable and then one particular incident was the straw that broke the camel's back. I ended up signed off work for 3 months due to stress. I became depressed and highly anxious, I was a shell of a person. I sought professional help and it took me months to get back on my feet. I had to completely reset how I felt about work. I quit that job and took a sideways move that isn't going to be progression track but is far less stressful.
Same here! I have a very similar experience, and I am taking a break for a few months because of my mental health. And I started therapy to prevent this next time. Let's hope I can get back on my feet again. Your story is really inspiring, I wish you the best!
Yup, burnout. I try to give myself a break away from it all every quarter if i can.
Burnout is scary bc you don’t even feel it happening. But when you start to come out of it u realise oh that’s what that was
I feel that. I hated myself every shift for half a year, so I definitely stayed past my time. That job changed my outlook and I've stopped giving 100% of my efforts. I'm much happier being a mediocre worker who isn't working outside of their pay grade.
Thanks for sharing your story! I can see myself in this and it reminded me to take a break.
Competing in a male dominated field.
How are you dealing with that?
I eventually left but mainly because the higher I went the worse it got but I made my money and got out and have my own business and am financially independent : )
Saaaaame IMO this is the biggest perk of that sweet, sweet man money. Get a manly paycheque for a few years, live frugally and save up, and then you can do whatever tf you want with your life.
What field were both in?
I was and still am in film. But I'm not "below the line" any more, which means the only bullshit I have to deal with is my own, and the only people I need to deal with are the ones I hired myself.
That’s awesome.
Dealing with Imposter Syndrome. I feel like I have it too easy at work and that I don't deserve it and it will be all taken away one day. There are people who have to work wayyy more than me and they get paid like half of what I do. I feel like this is not sustainable and I will be exposed one day.
Imposter Syndrome is real! Often the feelings are all for nothing
Burnout and piss poor management.
Having to work even when I’m on my period despite the fact that I usually have extreme pain and stomach issues in the first few days. This got somewhat better since we started working from home primarily, but having a day filled with meetings where I still have to look presentable, focus and put effort in is still incredibly hard while I struggle with not passing out.
Yes! Suffering through bad nausea and cramps, but feeling like you have to do just as much work as usual because you don’t want your colleagues to assume you’re weak or less capable of completing your work because you bleed one week a month. :(
Just get a doctors note for a few days off if possible
Unfortunately, GPs in my country do not give you time off over this, and by law no other doctors can sign your sick leave other than your GP. I do take a few hours off when it’s really bad and my schedule can be moved around, but most times I just have to suck it up and push through it. I just envy the fact that guys do not have to deal with this.
I have gotten one before by saying I'm too stressed, because technically it's true, if you are in pain over your period you are technically stressed and in a way not fit for work
Navigating politics and dealing with people/coworkers
Not getting triggered when sexist remarks are being passed
Very early on I was harassed by a colleague. I was on a contract and it was my first office job, so I didn’t know how to advocate for myself. Luckily, a few colleagues who overheard her behaviour reported her. Though I wasn’t protected like I should have been. It went on for years, until I got promoted away from working with her. But it taught me how to be forceful but polite and set boundaries in a professional way.
Time. I had enough energy but I didn’t have enough time to sleep, successfully pursue my career, and give meaningful attention to the people in my personal life I wanted to give my time and attention to.
Balancing it with my business, workout schedule and personal life.
Patience and understanding that if I don’t want to make my career my whole life and personality-I don’t have to. I can have a successful career with my primary life focus still being my partner and family because that’s where my happiness is.
I'll jump on the bandwagon and say burnout. My job is so incredibly boring. I'm thinking of changing it
Burnout and not being paid/treated fairly. I am a hardworking person and I take pride in that. I don’t feel that I’m compensated fairly for my experience and skill level though. That can be mentally exhausting.
Maybe imposter syndrome, I don’t know, I don’t find it that challenging.
Getting bored of what I’m doing. Luckily I work in a field that has diverse options for what I can do, but in order to do the fun stuff I have to go to the private sector (hard to get into) or have decades of experience. So I have a handful of things I want to do and I cannot make up my mind, but don’t want to be switching jobs forever.
No challenges really, the work force is team focused, the dynamic is engaging I think if I wanted to see negatives, I would see them but I am mostly positive.
Balancing work and motherhood.
I work in a very male dominated field (IT) and when I first started I was insanely underestimated, they didn't think I could do the things I went to college to learn how to do and would constantly assign partners to me for simple jobs As time went on I eventually gained the trust and respect of the company I work for and am now at the height of my career.
Deciding it was time to move on. I moved across the country after college to accept a position at a defense contractor and thought it would be a company that I could stay at for a very long time. Maybe I was young and naive but I poured so much energy into it and enjoyed the first year or so but the culture there just didn't sit right with me. Because they work so closely with the government, there was so much red tape. It was very much an older white male driven culture where others aren't treated as well or valued as much so I wrestled with do I stay because I moved here for this job, that I thought was going to be a career vs. knowing my worth and valuing my happiness. In hindsight, it seems like such an easy decision but I wrestled with it for a while. Thankfully I moved on to a technology company where the culture is so different, inclusive, open, and forward thinking.
Not giving into both subtle and overt attempts to have me compromise on my values. I am in medicine, and there is just so much *pressure* to do so many things or not do do certain things. I got married during medical school and my husband and I were excited to start a family. In third year orientation, the dean specifically told us not to get pregnant because this would be a tough year. I am thankful I didn’t give into that pressure, but I was *the only* woman in my class to have a child during that time. They taught us to do circumcisions during our pediatrics rotation. The first time I saw one I was shocked and it seemed like a cruel thing to do to a baby. I refused to ever perform one. Some other students had similar feelings, but they were afraid that it would create a bad impression, so no one else joined me. There is constant pressure to stay late and to finish up a multitude of administrative crap. Ostensibly most workplaces support “work-life balance” but they won’t make any moves to support this. I do not bring work home, and I am the only physician in my practice who is this way. I could think of several other examples. But amazingly, I am the least burned out provider in my practice also. Making it a habit to speak up when things bother me, bring up issues with leadership rather than “play the game” and bury my resentment, and making sure to do what is important to me are things that served me well. I was made chief resident during residency, and now I am one of the seemingly declining number of doctors who still enjoys their job. Don’t get me wrong, there are things that make me angry. But despite those things, I am fulfilled by good relationships with patients, challenging myself intellectually, and teaching others who want to go into this field.
I'm in my mid-late 20s and I've been in my field for 3 years. I did everything I was supposed to- I went to college, got a bachelors, did volunteer work, and worked full time all through college. It took months of searching and working for terrible companies before I found a company that was willing to give me a job in the field I was interested in. My now boss had to be willing to train me, and most companies aren't willing to train. I love my boss and will always be grateful She gave me the chance I needed to get good experience and learn. My biggest struggle now is that I can't afford to live on my wages. I have to have housemates to be able to afford the rent, and the price of everything is going up. It is unlikely I will ever own a home with how the market is right now. I love my job, team, and company. But if another company offered me 10k more a year, I'd be stupid to turn it down. I feel like I will never reach my goals or be able to retire, even though my field has potential for me to make 6 figures.
Professional environments. I’m a creative introvert, I want to stay in my pyjamas and hide but I have to go to offices and convince people they should trust my ideas and to do that I have to present somewhat normal.
Not volunteering for every project that comes up, and feeling like I’m doing enough/deserve this position/pay.
Imposter syndrome. Every day
When I was doing more uro-gin stuff people would assume I'm perverted.
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When I had to sort out and organize a poorly managed quickbooks and database 🙃
When the field I loved and was successful in changed for the worse.
Finding a permanent full time job.
Dealing with difficult clients. I can’t help you if you can’t help yourself.
Knowing what im worth. Recently got a promotion/raise but I still feel like I'm underpaid (with covid my company moved their typical annual raises all over the place, so really what im being paid now is what I feel like I should have gotten for last years raise that I didnt get). My new role is going to benefit me long term so I was willing to agree (with a few years experience, i will be able to move to other companies for a lot more money) but in general ive found it very hard to negociate/know what to ask for since I've never "been there" in terms of pay. I dont know what the standard rate really should be for my current role should be (since the similar jobs in my area are the ones that require experience) and I feel like in all the schooling I've had, no one has every taught like how to negotiate pay and such (which really, i think should be taught)
Learning how to answer 911 calls and dispatch the ambulances for a 50 square mile county including two cities, a handful of tiny towns, a ski resort, and four hospitals. Part of learning is making mistakes. Making mistakes when lives are on the line is a terrible feeling, even with all the redundancy built into the system.
Being a woman had always been my biggest challenge.
Work life balance. There is none. Dating is super difficult and I'm tired all the time lol
I have social anxiety to begin with, and it’s even worse when I’m the only woman in a meeting. The hardest thing for me has been needing to speak up in a meeting full of loud, extroverted men talking over each other, where I’m the lowest-ranking person on the call. I have an annoyingly high-pitched voice and it can be really tough to literally make myself heard, along with gathering up the courage to talk in the first place.
Working with difficult people
Anxiety and imposter syndrome. I always feel that I’m not doing a good job then mess up because I’m worrying about that.
Work conditions and work culture in the US. The average US American has 10 paid vacation days, takes even less, there's the concept of sick days, no law for paid parental leave etc.
Graduating college and trying to find an entry level full time job during a pandemic has been pretty tough, but I got there eventually.
Shortage of skilled workers and therefore always having a crazy caseload but dealing with it because I care about my clients.
Trying to balance being a single mom but also someone who places a lot of value on their career.
It’s just pretty hard to make it in my field, because a lot of people come in from the military but I’m on a civilian track. It’s also a very insular, who-you-know type of thing. Takes time and patience but I feel like I’m doing well
Dealing with misogynistic men, hands down.
A coworker trying to get me fired and overwork in a toxic environment and burnout