Home
>
Software
>
Managing Stress in the Computer Industry - Five Steps to a Stress-free Life

Managing Stress in the Computer Industry - Five Steps to a Stress-free Life

It would be easy to think, like most people apparently do, that stress and the computing (and especially programming) industry were unlikely bedfellows. The habitual image of long-haired young "geek" programmers churning out 'software' from their teenage bedrooms is one that many still associate with mainstream programmers. Stereotype or not, this image is still commonly held, and the armies of deadline-bound, overworked and stressed-out programmers in the real World are all but forgotten in the melee that is the result of the technological age.

Stress is widespread within the computer industry, perhaps even endemic. From the assembly-line manufacturers forever looking to increase throughput to the debuggers whose time requirements weren't in the original production schedule, pressure on those who work in the industry is at an all-time high and it is only going to increase as margins drop and further efficiencies are required.

Even getting into the industry can be stressful ? like private companies, many educational institutions are now usurping control of the code written on their campuses via "ownership" clauses which leave the originators of ground-breaking code with nothing to show for their efforts. Having something to show at interview is becoming increasingly difficult not just for existing programmers, but for the "new wave" just emerging from colleges and universities with excellent qualifications, but nothing they "own" to demonstrate.

Once the elusive job does come along, things rarely improve. Our "immediate" society is a result of the computer age and effortless sourcing of products and services via the internet. How many programmers have faced the challenge of meeting impossible deadlines with the threat that the next job will go to cheaper labour overseas that can do it in half the time? This leads to longer working hours, less rest, exhaustion, errors and then the cycle starts again - is that really what we expected when we entered the industry? So how can you reduce the stress put upon you by this relentless march of "progress".

First of all, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound (or should that be a ton?) of cure. By ensuring that your contracts are fair and considerate to both sides, you could remove a lot of stress later on. Here are five easy steps to help prevent stress in you next contract:

1. Be Honest

If a deadline is too short ? say so. If it seems short now, it will only seem much shorter later.

2. Be Realistic

When you are assessing the requirements of a job, make sure you've got some wiggle-room. Nine times out of ten, you'll need it (or at least appreciate it!)

3. Be Certain

Check your facts, figures, requirements and timings. If you have made an error, you want to find out now, not later when you'll be held to what you quoted.

4. Be Flexible

It helps to have an ace up your sleeve. If things really go wrong, where can you get extra help. Build contingency arrangements with others in your field and help each other out when you need it.

5. Beware

Stress creeps up on you unexpectedly. Do routine reviews against your plan and make sure you're still on course. If not, DO something about it and always, ALWAYS let the client know.

Brian Adamson
natural health information centre

natural health information centre.

natural health information centre

on demand house cleaning Glenview ...

In The News:

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Meta's Muse AI was built to manage tasks, but users are developing romantic AI relationships and even calling the AI companion their girlfriend.

A Minnesota murder suspect's notebook listed 11 people search websites, raising urgent questions about data broker opt-out and online privacy risks.

Google Universal Cart tracks price drops, surfaces promo codes and uses Google Wallet to match your best credit card rewards before checkout.

Safari's Notify Me feature and Google's price-tracking tools can monitor products and send alerts when prices drop on your iPhone or Android.

George Weiner built PACspam.org to trace who sends nonstop political fundraising texts after blocking numbers repeatedly failed to stop the messages.

A dedicated VPN IP address may reduce frustrating CAPTCHAs and bank login security checks by giving websites a consistent connection to recognize.

Apple Wallet in iOS 27 lets you create digital passes from physical cards using a photo or screenshot, but not every card in your wallet qualifies.

Anthropic's Claude AI submitted a fabricated eyewitness tip about an unsolved murder to a Philadelphia police website during automated testing.

P7 DarkSword iPhone spyware can steal saved passwords, photos, Apple Notes and cryptocurrency wallet data by checking for commands every 15 seconds.

Cybersecurity experts told Fox News Digital that a cyberattack on French supermarket freezers should warn the U.S. about critical infrastructure gaps.

The Oracle Health breach exposed medical records, Social Security numbers and diagnoses of nearly 20 million patients across multiple states.

The new Tesla Roadster drove upside down and launched into the air at SpaceX's Texas facility, but a 2028 production target remains unconfirmed.

Apple's iOS 27 lets you add keywords to iPhone photos, while Samsung Gallery tags and Google Photos search offer similar organization tools.

A fake Claude AI download scam uses Google ads, and Bing redirects to trick Mac users into pasting a hidden malicious command in their Terminal.

Ahold Delhaize's cybersecurity incident knocked online ordering and digital coupons offline at Stop & Shop, Food Lion, Hannaford and Giant Food stores.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Amazon's About You feature includes personality details from your shopping history, and some shoppers are finding hilariously awkward results.

Identity theft recovery starts with securing bank accounts, freezing credit and enabling two-factor authentication within the first 24 hours.

Apple's $299 HomeView smart display uses facial recognition to personalize screens for up to six household members and show live security camera feeds.

Domonique DuBose spotted red flags when a man on Hinge with 85,000 followers and a blue checkmark claimed to be a San Francisco 49ers player.

Your phone's location data can expose visits to doctors, pharmacies and places of worship. The FTC took action against data brokers selling this data.

Hackers targeted Danfoss refrigerator controls across French supermarkets, forcing chains like Carrefour and Monoprix to discard massive food stocks.

iOS 27 finally lets iPhone Shared Albums store photos and videos at full resolution in iCloud, but new items count toward the owner's storage.

A fake Facebook Marketplace text scam uses your real name as the seller to trick you into replying, and Malwarebytes warns even one response helps.

Managing Stress in the Computer Industry - Five Steps to a Stress-free Life

Software