Stress as a common individual problem in day-to-day life | Mental Health and Stress
In recent years, mental health and stress has escalated into a significant issue, and the conditions that contribute to it are commonly disregarded or condoned. But what precisely is stress? Stress is the body’s transition from a state of normalcy to physical, psychological, or emotional “Strain” in response to a particular condition or challenge that must be overcome or avoided.
People of all ages experience stress and melancholy due to a variety of factors, including being on time for work, meeting loved ones’ requests, working late into the night, employment instability, business planning, financial insecurity, timely premium payments, excessive travel, and overthinking. Younger people experience a lot of emotional upheaval because of, among other things, the pressure to perform professionally, unstable relationships, and the necessity to cover the escalating costs of sustaining a high-fi lifestyle.
The problem of mental stress differs from person to person at varied levels of intensity. This issue affects everyone since, if he or she is not a monk or yogi, the average person will at some point in time feel stressed.
Stress in the architecture field
Due to the long university curricula and unprofessional teaching techniques used by faculty members, the architectural field has a curriculum that tends to bend students further from interest to burnout. A new student at architecture school has no idea what challenges they will encounter in their academic career, and it is extremely difficult for them to learn to handle these situations well. Most academic problems are overcome with the help of friends; however, a few students are not appropriate for the course. They have no choice but to give up architecture and pursue their interests in other areas.
In order to succeed in the field of architecture, one must put in a lot of effort both on a professional and academic level. However, it appears that not all pupils can meet this need, thus those who can move forward and those who can’t fall behind enroll in Year Down.
To help students and prepare them for the future, appropriate academic and career counselling sessions should be held in architectural schools.
Mental stress at professional practice
Students are astonished to learn that they lack credibility in the sector because there is so much competition today when they embark on their first professional experience, or internship.
Due to the culture of academic work, students are partially prepared for extended working hours, but since this is their first experience, they are not mentally ready for professional practice. The fast-paced way of life has made the bosses extremely smart and irate. They frequently lose control over minor aspects of their work and reprimand subordinates or coworkers for performing their duties improperly. There are numerous instances like this one, but this is merely one.
A junior who has recently graduated from architecture school cannot be expected to match industry requirements for the zero-error output without at least three to four years of professional experience.
The primary issue with this situation is because instructors are fully to blame because students are only receiving very basic instruction that is outdated for professional practice. Even if the students thrive academically, this puts a load and a sense of terror on them because they are not prepared for this.
Mental health and wellbeing
The deadlines set by the clients put a lot of strain on architecture students and professionals. Unless and until there are fewer projects to manage and the challenges ahead can be faced calmly, this pressure will continue. One should inform themselves that architecture is among the most difficult fields to study and that it is quite acceptable for someone to experience hardship. Always talk about your concerns with your loved ones and ask for assistance. The first step to reducing mental toxicity should be addressing problems and looking for solutions together.
The best advice is always given to loved ones by the elderly because, although having little formal education, they have had a wealth of life-experience-based education.
Conclusion
As a result, stress is a constant problem for someone working in architecture. It is also a natural occurrence that should be embraced with grace. In the field of architecture, there are numerous career options that are less demanding than traditional architecture practice, yet each department has its own unique set of difficulties.
These specific ideas only need to be used by architects in their day-to-day work because they are constantly working to design spaces that respond to people’s needs, enabling them to live appropriately, comfortably, and with a positive sense of well-being. In order to properly understand the field of architecture and its link to workplace stress, particularly how it affects practitioners’ and students’ wellness, more research is obviously needed.
The first step seems to be accepting the problem. Then, thorough, methodical study of the issue may pave the way for the development of practical, discipline-specific tools and start a much-needed discussion on how to improve architectural culture and, consequently, raise architects’ well-being.
Citations:
AD Editorial Team. “Is Architecture Synonymous with Stress?” 17 Apr 2018. ArchDaily. Accessed 4 Feb 2023. <https://www.archdaily.com/892367/is-architecture-synonymous-with-stress> ISSN 0719-8884
