Top 25 Most Stressful Jobs in The World

Work is stressful, but there’s no question about the fact that it’s necessary for survival; and, if you want the minimum amount of stress in your life, avoid these top 25 most stressful jobs in the world.

In a perfect world, we’d all work a stress-free job with ample benefits and a great salary to go along with it, but unfortunately, the world is not perfect. I don’t want to sound like a pessimist because some people do find that perfect career or job that doesn’t feel like “work” and are able to work seemingly relaxing jobs. Just the other day, I was reading an article about young adults who spend their months on an exotic island, like Bali, while working remotely. On top of working on an island where you can go surfing, enjoy great food, and a lunch visit to the spa, they make a substantial income in a place where the cost of living is relatively low. I’m still unsure of how I feel, ethically, about that expat lifestyle, however I can’t deny the fact that it looks awesome. I mean, what could be stressful about working from your computer on a beach? Unfortunately, that is not the reality for the rest of us and many people (especially Americans) spend their days slowly suffocating in a cold, bland, and stuffy office environment. If you’re looking for the opposite and attempting to find something like the top 10 least stressful jobs, steer your career search in the direction of a professor, a jeweler, or a barber.

If those sound like something you might find less stressful, steer away from the most stressful jobs in America.

If you think you’re having a bad day, think about the people with the most stressful jobs in the world. That would include police officers, firefighters, and journalists (especially in today’s political environment. While we might all debate that every job is stressful in its own way, there are just those that are simply more demanding when it comes to hours and tasks. Some might be stressful in terms of work environment and the nature of the job itself, while many say certain criteria make a job more stressful than others. Whether it’s the difficulty of the job, the pressures, or the demands and deadlines, many factors influence stress. The American Psychological Association says things like trauma on the job and a sense of powerlessness among other things make people feel more stressed about their job.

However, it must be noted that people have different views and opinions when it comes to stress, and what’s stressful to one person might not be as hard to another. On this note, we had to use averaging as our methodology in determining which jobs belong to the list. In looking for the most stressful jobs in the world, we had to check the Internet for related articles from reputable websites. In this case, we sourced our information from the American Psychological Association, the Harvard Business Review and Health. We took out every job appearing in all sources and ranked them according to their ranking from where they appeared.

Continue reading to know more about the most stressful jobs in the world.

25. Anesthesiology assistant

You might be wondering why they’re a part of the list, or you might have expected this job. The risk that goes with the job is one of the primary reasons as to why it can stress you out. Working in a hospital is also naturally stressful, since the demands of the job are strong and can also be unpredictable. Consequently, their job also means a big responsibility to the person they’re administering to.

24. Public relations executive

Marketing and promoting a product is already challenging on its own, and it’s amplified when having to do damage control when something inconvenient or negative takes place. Public relations executives are assigned to handle press relations and public announcements. It is also their duty to make sure the company’s reputation stays intact–which is where the stress comes in.

23. Flight attendant

Flight attendants face stress even while training, as they have to learn to deal with various types of personalities, keep calm in times of distress, and maybe even speak foreign languages. The hazards are also quite stressful, as flying is also considered to be risky. Add to that the pressure of having to look polished the entire time, and you know it is undoubtedly one of the most stressful jobs indeed.

22. Concierge

If you think being a concierge is an easy job, think again. The job requires you to meet the demands of the clients and guests, no matter how hard that might be. In order to be good for the job, you should have tons of patience and an innate desire to always please people, regardless of the situation. Everyday that tasks might seem mundane, but they could be stressful for a concierge when dealing with difficult people.

21. Subway operator

We all know how tiring a commute can be, and it probably couldn’t be any more tiring or stressful than what it is for subway operators. These people are responsible for the thousands of people who use the subway every day. Not only  it is such a huge responsibility, it could also be stressful due to the demands of the job when it comes to time and other issues.

20. Medical laboratory technologist

It is easy to think that all jobs in the medical field are stressful. This makes sense, since the stress and pressure of having people’s lives in your hands could indeed be too much to handle for most. For medical laboratory technologists, stress comes from handling difficult patients, such as small kids and senior citizens.

19. Teacher

This shouldn’t even be the slightest bit of a surprise. It could even be more surprising as to why it ranks this low on the list. Being a teacher is both stressful and challenging, no matter the age of your young students. Imagine being responsible for the educational development and welfare of at least a hundred students in a school year, not to mention the sleepless nights of doing lesson plans, computing grades, and packing a long string of patience every day.

18. Elevator installer

The stresses of the job come from the conflicts and glitches that may arise while installing an elevator. It is no secret that it is a job requiring great skills, where you should also be well-versed in all technicalities. To be good at the job, one must be good in dealing with technical issues and should be able to address every conflict in all calmness to be sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

17. Veterinarian assistant

You might debate that veterinarians themselves have a more stressful role, but it is not so different from what they do. Though the former are more involved in surgeries and treatments, veterinarian assistants are also expected to be experienced in what they do. Adding to the stress is how they tend to be emotionally attached to the animals they’re responsible for. The ire of the owners when something unfortunate happens also puts a lot of pressure on them.

16. Barista

Coffee is life for most of us, which also explains why people usually frequent coffee shops to destress and find solace when things are too much to handle. Apart from demanding customers, baristas also face the challenge of always having to serve customers with a smile no matter what they may go through. New coffee recipes could be challenging and stressful to memorize, too. If you don’t think being a barista is stressful, step into a New York City Starbucks during the morning rush, then come talk to me.

15. Payroll administrator

It is safe to say that any job concerning money and other finances is stressful. For some reason, money brings us as much stress as joy. Also, handling the payroll, especially in larger companies, would mean employees would almost always bug you on payment updates. These people are also usually seen as the culprit when discrepancies and delays on payments happen.

14. Airline pilot

Navigating an aircraft, when you think of it, is a very hard job in itself. What adds more to the stress and pressure of the job is knowing how you are carrying hundreds of passengers. Everyone on board the plane is counting on you to do your job well and keep them safe; add to that the unfortunate instances of glitches, and you know being a pilot is indeed a very stressful job. No wonder this job is on our list of most stressful jobs in the world.

13. Social worker

Social workers often deal with people going through a hard time. Their job description kind of spells stress, don’t you think? Constantly talking to people who are troubled and in emotional distress could naturally take its toll on you. Many people go into social work to help others, but sometimes the nature of the system keeps them from being able to do so, which is stressful in itself.

12. Correctional officer

Correctional officers come in about halfway through our list of most stressful jobs in the world. These folks have the obligation to make sure everything is smooth-sailing in prison. If you think about it, this job has everything you need to stress yourself out. The environment can be distressing, hazards come plenty, and the pay is somehow not what you would expect for such a stressful job.

11. Police supervisor

We are continuing most stressful jobs in the world list with a job that have an extremely challenging work environment. Working in their field would mean having both your hands full since the situation is almost always packed with tension. The challenge is to keep everything in order while keeping calm the whole time, which is undeniably hard, given the diverse personalities of people you work with.

10. Military general

Without any doubt, being in charge of the military is one stressful job, if not the most stressful of all. Apparently, the duties and responsibilities of being a military general have all the makings of stress and pressure, which is no surprise. The demands of the job can be too much to handle, and the hazards of the work environment are highly dangerous.

9. Caregiver

Caregivers have varied workplaces and working environments, all of which have their own stresses and demands. These people might work in hospice centers, homes for the aged, or private homes. Why is this job on the list of most stressful jobs in the world, you may wonder? They usually take care of sick people with special needs, as well as older people who are usually distressed and in need of special attention. They get paid well, and rightfully so since the job is challenging.

8. Power plant operator

Power plants are known to be hazardous, which explains why it has to stand somewhere far from residential areas since it is proven to have adverse effects to people and the environment as a whole. Imagine the danger and hazard power plant operators face every day. The stress of always having to ensure your own safety while also maintaining the smooth operation of the plant is indeed very demanding.

7. Nurse

Next in line on our list of most stressful jobs in the world is nursing job. Nurses often refer to their work environment as toxic. Quite frankly, being a nurse is toxic both in a literal and figurative sense. They have erratic work schedules plus demands that take up so much of their time and naturally cause stress. The burden of being responsible for the patients they’re assigned to, as well as the aim to help these people recover as soon as possible prove just how stressful being a nurse is.

6. Psychiatrist

We have mentioned earlier how being a social worker is stressful mainly because you deal with people going through emotional distress. And if you think they have it bad, psychiatrists have to deal with a lot too. Many times, these professionals are tasked to help mentally challenged people to adapt to life. Most days, they also have to be a human soundboard and shock absorber.

5. Police officer

Police supervisors sure have a stressful job, but there’s nothing as stressful as having to be in action yourself. Patrol officers are responsible for maintaining peace and order in their areas, which is very challenging nowadays, judging solely from all the negative news we have been seeing recently. The most stressful part would most definitely include the demands of solving cases and dealing with suspects. Let’s see what’s next on our list of most stressful jobs in the world.

4. Doctor

Nurses and anesthesiologists as well as medical technologists all have their own share of pressures and demands from their respective jobs. However, if you really think about it, doctors have it just as bad, in terms of pressure and stress. Being a doctor naturally puts you in a crucial position, especially if you’re handling patients who are going through degenerative diseases like cancer. There’s nothing more stressful than facing family members when, after doing your best, there really is no chance of healing anymore.

3. Quality control officer

Manufacturing and production companies have quality control officers to make sure everything is tested and in mint condition before they get deployed and distributed outside. The stresses of this among the other most stressful jobs in the world, usually come from the pressure of making sure everything is in control, and that all products are of premium quality. Once something unfortunate happens which could result in a stain on the company’s reputation, these people are typically the ones to take responsibility.

2. News reporter

Been here, done that, and I can tell you it’s definitely stressful, but also rewarding at times. News reporters are commonly deployed in different areas where there are events, whether negative or positive, that have to be covered. Their work environments vary from very tensioned ones to festive places, and the time they work could naturally cause stress because of the long and odd hours, and the demands of the job.

1. Firefighter

Firefighters risk their own lives to save people and homes from fires–we all know that for a fact. It is also why they undoubtedly belong at the top of this list, since the time of their job is naturally unknown, as it depends on when a fire breaks out. What brings them the biggest stress is that they don’t know when they have to work, which requires them to be ready for action at all times.

Every job has its own share of pits and perks. It just so happened that these come up to be known as the most stressful jobs in the world.