Nothing to stress about

As a way of introduction, I wanted to write about stress.

It came to my attention that, for our American cousins at least, it’s stress awareness month. This led me to think about the stresses of modern-day life.

Let’s face it, society is getting more complicated by the day, and these complications lead to stress. The ever-changing nature of technology means that we’re all surrounded by new gadgets and gizmos that seem to come out on a weekly basis. Gadgets that constantly break down. Jobs are becoming more demanding, employees are required to work longer hours and greater adaptability is needed. The current state of the world’s economy means that, everywhere we look, prices are going up. All of these factors lead to stress.

A quick look at the UK government’s Health & Safety Executive reveals that over half a million Britons felt that work-related stress was making them ill in 2006/07. Meanwhile, last year nearly 14% of all British workers classed their job as ‘very or extremely stressful’. On top of this, stress at work has been contributing to a variety of mental illnesses ranging from depression to anxiety.

Is it really worth it? I used to be part of the rat-race, working the standard 37.5 hours a week in an office. Factor in the sleep a normal person needs, and this leads you with five or so hours to yourself in the evening per day. Not a lot of time for relaxing, housework, hobbies or spending time with friends or family, it has to be said.

I lasted for five years before I realised this sort of life wasn’t for me. We each only have one chance at life; there’s no going back and doing things differently. This is why I decided to do the things I always wanted: to study for a degree, and to become a writer. Years later, I’ve done both, and I never regretted my decision. Okay, so I don’t have anywhere near as much money as I once had, but the difference is that I’m HAPPY. I’m living my life the way I want.

And stress? It’s but a distant memory.