Does your job stress ever get to you? Even if you consider your current employment as your dream job, there are days when your position is just stressing you out. It can be hard to endure. At least you can take comfort in the fact that some jobs are more stressful than others.
There are some extremely stressful jobs in the world with unpleasant qualities or anxiety-inducing characteristics. While some people can handle the most stressful jobs with a smile, others may not be able to stand the pressure. If you want a pleasant work-life balance without too much stress, these stressful jobs are probably not for you.
Here are the ten most stressful jobs in the world:
Job #1: Mental Health Counsellor
A mental health counsellor is one of the most stressful jobs in the world. Day in and day out, you are working with patients who have schizophrenia, severe depression, or schizoaffective disorder. It can be a trying experience to help treat these individuals.
Working in this job can make you feel worse when you know there is nothing you can do for thee patient, aside from engaging with them, ensuring they are taking their medication, and making certain they are not harming themselves. Indeed, the work of a mental health counselor can put a lot of pressure on the mental health of the employee.
Job #2: Paramedic
While the life of a paramedic is not comparable to the film Bringing Out the Dead, this is still one of the most stress jobs you can have. In addition to treating a diverse array of people who are sick or dying, the hours are long, and the strain on your mental health is difficult to overcome.
There are many days when it might be great to be a paramedic; you may be taking a woman in labour to the hospital. However, if you are working a night shift in a bad part of the city, it can impact your emotions in all sorts of different ways.
Job #3: Surgeon
You may have read the reports about how surgeons are working around the clock without any breaks. They may be doing 12 to 16 consecutive hours of surgeries – some routine and some complex. One mistake can turn fatal, and this is what surgeons have to face on a day to day basis, making it one of the most stressful jobs in the world.
A patient’s life is in your hands. If you do not get enough rest, then a simple and routine procedure suddenly turns into a life- and career-destroying moment.
Job #4: Police Officer
Sure, if you are a police officer in small-town that is one of the safest jurisdictions in Canada, then it is not much of a problem being a cop aside from the long hours. However, if you are a police officer in a large city and you have been assigned a beat known for crime, then every day is a crapshoot.
Of course, the role of a cop is stressful as you are protecting two lives: your own and your partner’s. But while he or she is constantly the target of scorn and ridicule, imagine the stress of this professional’s significant other who is in perpetual fear of getting that phone call or personal visit.
Job #5: Firefighter
Firefighters are always waiting for that three- or four-alarm blaze to happen. They may not be as frequent as you would expect, but when they do take place, these firefighters are risking their lives.
Or, in the case of the recent bushfires in Australia caused by a couple of hundred arsonists, firefighters may need to tackle some of the harshest environments they have ever seen. Not only do they risk immediate death, but they can also suffer long-term stress and mental health problems that will be impossible to recover.
Job #6: Airline Pilot
Imagine being in charge of dozens of passengers as you fly from Toronto to New York several times a day? What about those extra-long flights from Toronto to Tokyo?
Like surgeons, airline pilots are working around the clock and they frequently have these shifts a few times a week. They may also be called in to fill in for other pilots. The motion pictures may present the job of a pilot as a dream occupation, but it has quickly become the most stressful job in the advanced world as competition in the industry heats up.
Job #7: Public Relations Specialist
“Oh, great! What did he do now?” A public relations specialist is required to put the fire out for a business or prominent individual when a scandal erupts. Every moment of the day, your job is to worry that a client will mess up big time. If you are working for a notorious client, this can be one of the most stressful jobs in the world.
Let’s say a food company is selling lettuce that has traces of e. coli. Now that PR professional needs to undo the damage and show that the business in question is taking the necessary steps to ensure this never happens again. Or, a celebrity has been caught driving drunk; his or her publicist then needs to issue a statement apologizing and promising that the celebrity will seek treatment.
Job #8: Customer Service Representative
Shoppers are always irate. They are angry because they had to wait in line. They are upset because a clerk did not say hello. They are perturbed because something was not available for purchase.
A customer service representative – on the phone or in-person – needs to deal with these types of people all day every day. It can be hard to handle the work stress even after just one day on the job. Unlike some of the positions listed above, a customer service associate gets paid very little.
Job #9: Reporter
Trust in the media is indeed at near record-lows. It is also correct that the industry is transforming – you might argue for better or for worse. That said, the role of a reporter is becoming more than just writing an article or being on the scene to cover a protest, interview a politician, or speak with strangers.
Today, reporters are required to perform basic functions and then other tasks, such as editing and sharing on social media. Plus, since the competition is fierce and the sector is facing tremendous pressure, members of the press need to work stressful hours all year long. This is the norm until you become a senior correspondent or somebody with influence in the company.
Job #10: Sports Referee
Botched spots, missed calls, and egregious rulings – it can be hard to be a sports fan at times because the referee (or umpire) just blew it. Your team was just cost a run, a game, or a series because the person in charge of instituting the rules did not do his or her job properly. As a result, you are going to riot and demand on talk radio that the referee in question loses his or her source of income.
While all sports fans can unite in their disdain for referees, these sporting professionals can have it rough. It can feel like everything you do is under the microscope and every error is placed under the spotlight. Plus, even if you do follow protocol and make the correct call, then you have an entire fanbase chasing you down like a rabid dog. The life of a referee is not easy.
