How do you handle high stress jobs?

frantzcr
frantzcr Posts: 129 Member
edited November 2024 in Motivation and Support
Hi,
I work as a pizza delivery driver in a college town. It's hard to fight not giving in and eating the food there. It can be pretty stressful at times. Last night I had to call the cops three times to break up in store fights and have to deal with inpatient people calling me cruel names. I love my job most nights but after particular evenings such as last night it's hard for me to turn down emotionally eating pizza. How do you people handle your stressful jobs and how it relates to your food lifestyle?

Replies

  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,137 Member
    Exercise. I exercise every day after work. It maintains my sanity, burns off the day and gives me a break between work and home. By the time I go home, I've put patients out of my mind and have mostly shaken off the day.

    I try not to use my work stress as an excuse to emotionally eat. I have done in the past which is how I ended up overweight. My job is inherently stressful, intellectually and emotionally tiring. And often physically tiring with shift work and not eating when I would like to. But it is what it is and I can't let it stand in the way of my goals. I take all my food with me to work, even my coffee so I have no need to go to the cafeteria or cafes. I try to stay away from the food in the nurses station and I take snacks which I can eat super quickly if I'm having a hectic day.
  • frantzcr
    frantzcr Posts: 129 Member
    oh_happy_day wrote: »
    Exercise. I exercise every day after work. It maintains my sanity, burns off the day and gives me a break between work and home. By the time I go home, I've put patients out of my mind and have mostly shaken off the day.

    I try not to use my work stress as an excuse to emotionally eat. I have done in the past which is how I ended up overweight. My job is inherently stressful, intellectually and emotionally tiring. And often physically tiring with shift work and not eating when I would like to. But it is what it is and I can't let it stand in the way of my goals. I take all my food with me to work, even my coffee so I have no need to go to the cafeteria or cafes. I try to stay away from the food in the nurses station and I take snacks which I can eat super quickly if I'm having a hectic day.

    There's no way for me to not be around food in my job unfortunately but I may give the post work-workout a try. Do you find cardio or strength training to better for you?
  • GymnasticsMommy
    GymnasticsMommy Posts: 80 Member
    Good thread. I have been fighting this for years. Half the year I work 10-12 hour days and my job is very mentally draining. I'd love to start working out. But seriously when will I find time?
  • erinlikesfood
    erinlikesfood Posts: 22 Member
    I can't speak directly to the stressful job part of your question, but I'm definitely presented with situations where food is present and I know I don't want to eat it. What helps me is making sure I'm not starving during the situation (it helps to have my own tasty, healthy snack to look forward to) and also setting the intention for my actions before the event (ex.. "I'm not going to eat the pizza even when I'm stressed because I know I won't feel good after doing so") and trying to remember that when presented with the challenge.
  • frantzcr
    frantzcr Posts: 129 Member
    This past week I've been packing a half cup of almonds to snack on while driving and it helps but when I get off at 4 or 5am the will power is drained
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I never would've thought selling pizza would be stressful, but I suppose any job dealing with the public can be.

    I'm a secondary school teacher in a pretty rough school. I teach French to kids who can barely spell in their own language and who have never left their home town, so it's very stressful, not to mention teachers are held accountable for exam grades, plus the constant observations, marking, planning etc.

    Luckily my department are all pretty healthy so we don't tend to have 'bad' foods around, which is great, because there are some days when I'd want to eat biscuits and chocolate if they were there. I take my own lunch in so always include healthy snacks.

    I also find exercise helps to deal with the stress. If I've had a bad day I always feel better after a workout.
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