Who's More Stressful: Your Spouse or Your Boss?
By: Jen Mueller,
SparkPeople Blogger
7/6/2010 6:00 AM
: 124 comments
: 12,781 Views
Jobs are a big source of stress for many people. It's hard when you're trying to balance tight deadlines, a demanding boss, competition with co-workers, etc. So you'd assume that a good way to unwind after a tough day and might be to go home and spend some time with loved ones. According to a new poll, you might want to rethink that decision. Spouses can end up creating more anxiety than your boss at the office.
The poll, conducted by electronics and healthcare manufacturer Phillips, surveyed 3,000 British men and women. 58% said their spouse or partner was one of the people in their life that put them under pressure, but only 43% said the same about their boss. 18% of women (and 12% of men) said their spouse put them under "a lot" of pressure.
Why would home life be so stressful? I'm sure there are lots of reasons, but here are a few guesses: Your partner is likely the person you unload a lot of things on, including stress about your job, finances, family, and life in general. That can create more stress in the relationship, especially if you disagree about any of those things. And let's face it, no matter how compatible you are, you and your partner are never going to agree on everything.
It helps to have a support system at home that you can rely on when you need it. Talking about the issues you're facing and how your partner can help you deal with them will keep the lines of communication open and the stress level at a minimum.
The poll asked a number of questions about life and health. Another interesting result was that women were more concerned about their weight than their earnings. Almost half of those surveyed said their weight was very important to their health and wellbeing, compared to 27 percent who said that salary was their top priority. The difference wasn't as significant for men, since percent of men listed weight as an important issue to their health and wellbeing, while 33 percent said the same about their salary.
What do you think? Does your spouse/partner create more stress in your life than your employer?
The poll, conducted by electronics and healthcare manufacturer Phillips, surveyed 3,000 British men and women. 58% said their spouse or partner was one of the people in their life that put them under pressure, but only 43% said the same about their boss. 18% of women (and 12% of men) said their spouse put them under "a lot" of pressure.
Why would home life be so stressful? I'm sure there are lots of reasons, but here are a few guesses: Your partner is likely the person you unload a lot of things on, including stress about your job, finances, family, and life in general. That can create more stress in the relationship, especially if you disagree about any of those things. And let's face it, no matter how compatible you are, you and your partner are never going to agree on everything.
It helps to have a support system at home that you can rely on when you need it. Talking about the issues you're facing and how your partner can help you deal with them will keep the lines of communication open and the stress level at a minimum.
The poll asked a number of questions about life and health. Another interesting result was that women were more concerned about their weight than their earnings. Almost half of those surveyed said their weight was very important to their health and wellbeing, compared to 27 percent who said that salary was their top priority. The difference wasn't as significant for men, since percent of men listed weight as an important issue to their health and wellbeing, while 33 percent said the same about their salary.
What do you think? Does your spouse/partner create more stress in your life than your employer?
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Comments
But her certainly can be a stressful spouse!
- 11/18/2010 12:59:48 PM
some stress is good - but make your stress level tolerable - or make a change. - 8/25/2010 7:10:23 AM
Hubby is great.. he worked for the same company but had a less stressful job he knew how much stress I was under so tried to help me as much as he could to relax when we got home.
He does tend to drive me crazy at times with little things but nearly as much as working did. - 7/11/2010 4:32:25 PM
I LOVE Mondays! - 7/9/2010 3:34:13 PM
Andrew is now looking at me a little weird because I just got up and gave him a kiss and told him I am lucky to have him. Not only does he not cause stress for me, he provides the support structure that allows me to remain steady everywhere else in my life. - 7/9/2010 2:58:30 PM
I have had some awful bosses and work situations, but I got to go home at 5 and spend the weekends away from them. Plus I always was willing to quit a job and find something else once I had taken enough **** so escape was easy.
A marriage is something else. I Iive with hubby and usually spend a lot of my free time with him. And realistically, relationships take work and have some stress and conflict to work through. I know I get on hubby's nerves too sometimes.
So currently, hubby is a bigger stressor in my life. He is an anxious and sometimes agitated person and tends to "sweat the small stuff", IMHO. He can sometimes be quite demanding and gets frustrated when I don't jump into the fray with him. I am strong willed so I don't cave in easily, plus I definitely tend to adjust more easily and let things go more quickly. But we are committed to putting up with each other!
As Tina Turner sang, "What's love got to do with it?"
- 7/8/2010 12:53:24 PM
- 7/8/2010 9:26:02 AM
If he were as neurotic as me, well, it'd probably be another story -- but part of the reason we work so well is that even though I'm a little nuts, he handles it with love and support. I would hope he doesn't think I cause him more stress than his boss. - 7/7/2010 7:55:31 PM
I was made redundant, eventually, and have now come to terms with that, with my family and with my DH. Sometimes I think it's been too late in the day to salvage much, family-wise - but then I get together with my sons and things are better than they were.
DH is now looking to take early retirement, which will be stressful again - but still better than the excess external stress from employment. - 7/7/2010 7:17:18 PM
I have come to realize that I bring on most of the stress myself. I always feel like I need to be doing more. I have a full time job, I am a volunteer fire fighter (structure & wildland) where I have also taken on some officer duties, I volunteer for another organization & on their finance committee. My family is very close and we get together often. I try to be an active member on SP and help people out where I can. And the list goes on and on.
This is what sometimes gets me overwhelmed. - 7/7/2010 3:02:28 PM
WHEN YOU ARE TEATHERED TO SOMEONE, TRYING TO EXTRICATE YOURSELF FROM A TOXIC RELATIONSHIP WHICH INVOLVES LEGAL ISSUES, CHILDREN, PROPERTY ETC. NOT TO MENTION THE EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT is nothing like giving up your job. you are not personally involved the same way with 'a boss'. you can find another job - but it is not so easy to start life again. when there is verbal & emotional abuse, harrassment or physical abuse at a job- you certainly have recourse - not always the case with a spouse. there is just no comparison = you leave your job at the end of the day - and get a break from a demanding boss - not so with the spouse. the destructive influences color every one in the household. at work, you can form committees, complain to the labour dept., or QUIT right then and there . no there is no question in my mind. BB - 7/7/2010 1:28:38 PM
i definitely see the stress placed on me at work as unhealthy stress so in the future i'm going to do what i can to avoid workplaces like the one i currently work in. - 7/7/2010 12:26:58 PM
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