Lately, I've been suffering from client-induced stress. In an industry hell bent on SELL, SELL, SELL, there's a big pressure to keep shoving products in people's faces, hoping they'll be too blinded by the sparkle to know better.
The hardest part of my job is dealing with clients who don't know what they want, but know exactly what they don't like. I love working clients who have strong stands on issues, who have pinpointed their directions, who can sum up what they want in one word. I think it's pointless to discuss things with clients who are stuck in middle-management with vague notions of what they want, but are quick to point out when they don't want something. Dammit, spend some quite time in the shower and think about what you want! Don't waste both our time to help you search your black soul for what it is you want.
I am so stressed. Sometimes, I come back to the office scowling, being rude to my office mates, unresponsive. I hate it when I take my negativity against others who have nothing to do with it in the first place.
So, the other day, I came to a decision: Being negative is not productive. I will achieve nothing by letting stupid clients get to the best of me. So I'll soldier on, fake enthusiasm until I can't tell the difference between a plastered on smile and genuine mirth.
Being negative is not productive. Feeling down about the amount of workload that I must deal with to make other people rich won't make the task easier.
Meanwhile, with humor, everything is easier. Finding what's funny in every situation is good training ground for a career in stand up comedy.
So, that's what I'll do. Treat everything as a source of material. Your ridiculousness is my comedy gold.
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