EP 457: How to Define Hard-to-Define Work Stress

So, you're stressed. Or work feels intense. Or you're putting more energy than you should into manifesting a day with "no surprises."

But why? Even if you're not working on an especially challenging project or hustling to get in under a deadline, the work we do can be stressful in a sort of ambient and ambiguous way. And we might downplay that stress because, hey, aren't we just lucky to have a cool job like this?

When we think about work, we're often dealing with an outdated metaphor—The Factory. But if you work in a creative, knowledge-based, service, or caring field, that metaphor doesn't have as much to offer as we think it does, especially when it comes to understanding work stress.

Today's episode offers a way to rethink the ways your work can be stressful so you can rethink the resources you need to feel better and do more remarkable work.

Footnotes:

• Rethink Work, an 8-week cohort-based course
• "Sources of intensity in work organizations" by Armand Hatchuel in Creating Sustainable Work Systems (1st ed)

Every episode of What Works is also published in essay form at whatworks.fyi!

• (00:00) - The Factory


• (01:38) - The Factory Metaphor in Job Creation


• (03:39) - Rethink Work Course


• (04:35) - Why the Factory is a Sticky Metaphor


• (07:31) - The Factory Worker, The Bus Driver, and The Creative/Knowledge Worker


• (16:12) - The Problem with the Factory Metaphor


• (19:53) - Course Info & Credits