TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
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>1. If you were to list the five most stressful aspects of being a
>technical writer (from most to least stressful), what items would you
>list?
1) Being the second-last bottleneck on the crytical path.
2) Project schedules that are allowed to slip when the
final delivery date remains immovable (see item 1, above).
3) Disorganized project manglers who keep realizing there
are more critical items that the customers just can't
do without... and of course, it'll absolutely need to
be documented... as soon as [insert name of hero engineer]
figures out how to do it.
4) Hero engineers who can't resist just a little more
tinkering and fixing (that changes the interface (already
documented), especially when it makes so much sense to
do it the new way that we'd be embarrassed to keep the
old way, just to make it easy on the writer... :-)
5a) SMEs and good managers who have the temerity to leave the
company when I need them.
5b) SMEs and good managers who have the temerity to get axed,
just when I need them most.
>2. Are there any specific strategies you use to cope with work stress?
1) During three seasons, I cycle to and from work, most days.
Keeps the blood moving, gives me time to let the mind
coast, without the stress of either sitting behind a
steering wheel in "rush"-hour traffic, or standing among
sweaty people on a bus.
2) Down tools and go for a walk. It helps that our new
headquarters is in a largely residential neighborhood
with trees and green lawns.
3) Change of scenery. Pick up the laptop and tell those
who need to know that I'll be working at home or in
the park for the rest of the day, and don't call unless
it's an emergency, thankyewverymuch.
4) Go skydiving on the weekend -- or after work on those
long summer evenings. There's just nothing else that
beats stress like a (so-called) extreme sport, especially
one that doesn't really HAVE to be physically taxing
unless you want it to be...
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A landmark hotel, one of America's most beautiful cities, and
three and a half days of immersion in the state of the art:
IPCC 01, Oct. 24-27 in Santa Fe. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
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