Hello all, I was wondering how some of you guys manage stress on the job? I recently got a new "real" job as a lead php dev working 9-5 in down town Houston. I must say, this "normal" work schedule is kicking my ass. I'm constantly exhausted, stressed out and am now having second thoughts about the position. What should I do?

Are you able to leave work at the office? Are your normal hours really 9 to 5? If the answers to these questions are yes, then sharply draw the line between work and home. Do something for yourself after work, and go to bed early enough to get eight hours in time to comfortably get up for work.

I cannot stress how important it is to get enough sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to a pile of major problems, including alzheimer's.

Get a routine, make it work for you, and stick to it.

Also, go drink beer and get the Thursday steak special at the Red Lion on Shepherd.

I never found 9-5 that stressful, though I prefer 8-4. I remember that in my first job after studies, I was amazed how much leisure time I suddenly had compared to uni times.

@bahua I haven't actually been given a set schedule and I may actually be causing myself most of my stress mainly because I want to provide a good first impression. I am able to bring work home with me so I guess I am not technically relegated to the confines of the office outside of meetings with the project manager and CTO. The main daily schedule requirement I have is a morning sit down with the PM which even says in the schedule (Skype or at my desk).
Thanks for the suggestion about sleep. I'm currently getting about 5-6 hours of sleep a day on a good night, at worst I've gotten 3-4 hours. I think this is the trickiest part for me currently as I have some outside familial responsibilities that require my time until 9pm until I can buy myself out of them.

@anolis

It's good to make a good impression, but if you stretch yourself too thin, you will almost certainly make a very BAD impression.

You can be a valued employee and still say no.

However, it appears that your outside familial responsibility is almost as big of a stress-inducer for you. I doubt I can offer you any advice on that that you don't already know much better than anything I could say.

Sleep helps. For real. Also do not get upset. You're not more effective when you're upset, you're just more likely to do something stupid. Delegate some responsibilities using tech-based criteria. Follow the people you delegate those responsibilities and occasionally micromanage them (work in two on the same machine, crack a joke every now and then). The additional sleep should address the physical component and the social interaction should address the psychological one. You will still be stressed but you should feel more secure of your team and have the energy to fight it back.

P.s.: the part on sleep is really important don't underestimate it. I mostly sleep during weekends but it helps a lot.

@bahua @Nanos commute time is about 45min to and from.

@anolis

Yeah, I'm no fan of the commute in Houston. I've been there for work and hated the driving.

Hang in there man, you’ll get adjusted to the company. Get more sleep seems to be the consensus here and I agree. Especially that you’re recovering from being sick (:

I think this is a great opportunity for you to set standards for yourself and to build character along with confidence. It’ll just take time.