Hey everyone!

I haven't been on much lately, but I always know this is a great place to come for advice and that's really what I need right now!

I am so stressed out and for over 2 months I have been trying to get everything on track, but it only works for about a day or 2 then once I get frustrated at work I just feel down in the dumps again.

It doesn't help that I am in training as an Air Traffic Controller- the most stressful job yes, but even more so when you are in training and trying to prove yourself to yourself and others.

I have controlled traffic for 7+ years in the military environment, but now I am training at a level 12 (highest rating for traffic density and complexity) facility that is one of the largest and busiest in the world. I knew I was going to have to push myself and study and make it my priority to complete the training- and I believe deep down that I can do it if I could just focus and stop letting myself get down.



For those who are not familiar- Air Traffic Controllers tend to be the most egotistical, competitive, and thick-skinned people. I always thought I had thick-skin but now I am realizing I let every little thing get to me. So some would say find a new job- but I don't want to. This is what I want. This job is amazing and I know it will be a lot of fun and be a job I would look forward to once I get through all the training.

Granted sometimes I wonder if I really am cut out for it, and my confidence has been in the gutter. When I get home all I want to do is sleep or watch TV to get things off my mind. That's not how I should be- I should be pushing myself to study or go over the previous training sessions in my head.

I guess what I am looking for here is ways that some of you have motivated yourselves to accomplish something or how to get out of a rut. I need motivation and confidence! I hope this little rant makes some sense. I just got out of a session of controlling live traffic, and I am about to go back in. I try to psych myself up every time, and I know most of the info I need to know but every time I miss something or something gets corrected by my trainer... I know I am being hard on myself and I can't expect to be perfect... ugh. OK.

Well thank you in advance for reading my rant. If you have questions or words of wisdom please share =)

Shelly

Hey everyone!

I haven’t been on much lately, but I always know this is a great place to come for advice and that’s really what I need right now!

I am so stressed out and for over 2 months I have been trying to get everything on track, but it only works for about a day or 2 then once I get frustrated at work I just feel down in the dumps again.

It doesn’t help that I am in training as an Air Traffic Controller- the most stressful job yes, but even more so when you are in training and trying to prove yourself to yourself and others.

I have controlled traffic for 7+ years in the military environment, but now I am training at a level 12 (highest rating for traffic density and complexity) facility that is one of the largest and busiest in the world. I knew I was going to have to push myself and study and make it my priority to complete the training- and I believe deep down that I can do it if I could just focus and stop letting myself get down.



For those who are not familiar- Air Traffic Controllers tend to be the most egotistical, competitive, and thick-skinned people. I always thought I had thick-skin but now I am realizing I let every little thing get to me. So some would say find a new job- but I don’t want to. This is what I want. This job is amazing and I know it will be a lot of fun and be a job I would look forward to once I get through all the training.

Granted sometimes I wonder if I really am cut out for it, and my confidence has been in the gutter. When I get home all I want to do is sleep or watch tv to get things off my mind. That’s not how I should be- I should be pushing myself to study or go over the previous training sessions in my head.

I guess what I am looking for here is ways that some of you have motivated yourselves to accomplish something or how to get out of a rut. I need motivation and confidence! I hope this little rant makes some sense. I just got out of a session of controlling live traffic, and I am about to go back in. I try to psych myself up every time, and I know most of the info I need to know but every time I miss something or something gets corrected by my trainer...I know I am being hard on myself and I can't expect to be perfect...ugh. ok.

Well thank you in advance for reading my rant. If you have questions or words of wisdom please share =)

Shelly
Well Shelly, I don't know anything about air traffic control but it sounds hard! I would normally say leave your job and find something less stressful, but like you said you love it. Remember that nothing good comes easy. When I am facing a challenge or trying to reach a goal I try to look at what good is going to come out of it and focus on that instead of the negative. Have you ever read or watched the Secret? If not, It's really inspirational, well it was for me anyway. Don't beat yourself up when you miss something because if we don't make mistakes we don't learn from them. :)

Cheers!

I think that stressful situations need something to balance them.

If you are continuously feeling overwhelmed, overburdened, and pushing too hard to get through something so difficult, you are not getting anything to balance this out.

Specifically what I mean is this. When you recognize the signs of burnout, turn it around by replenishing your mind and body. Do some really intense exercise, (for me its bike riding) for even a half hour a day. You build physical strength, and emotional endurance comes much easier.

Check your diet. As corny as that sounds, fill your fridge with fruit and avoid heavy meals, and frequent snacking (which makes one feel better, but there is always a price to pay).

Stay away from any kind of screen. TV, game console, cell phone etc. Get a book, and read. It engages the mind outside the immediate circumstances, and the peace and quiet also gives your overworked brain a rest.

Put the work aside, intellectually. Tuck it away in a file drawer in your mind, and don't open it until you have worked on other parts of your life first.

Get organized. Eat at regular times, exercise at regular times, and study at regular times. Cramming and forcing yourself when your body and spirit are weak, will take you 100x longer to absorb any new information.

Think of what you need to do as a warmup, to accomplish the tasks at hand.