Stress
From the lowest beat reporter to the news media executive, this is one of the most stressful careers around. Journalists have to deal with deadlines, busy work environments, crazy schedules, travel, demanding editors, a more demanding public, and the fear of being laid off.
Newspaper reporter and broadcaster are both routinely named in various "Most Stressful Jobs" lists. Competition in the newsroom is at an all-time high, and the digital age has only compounded all these stresses.
Thanks to advancements in data tracking, online news organizations can tell everything from which stories are about to be trending to just how many people have read and shared their articles. Some outlets actually pay writers based on the number of clicks their articles receive.
To give you an idea of how big a deal it is to some of them, Gawker Media displays the ten most-viewed articles on flat-screen televisions in their office—like a live listing of the arrivals and departures of cultural relevance.
Even journalists who can get out of the office experience stress. Those who cover gang violence, wars, burglaries, bake sales, and other unpleasant events experience a certain level of anxiety in their workdays. Often times, reporting on the news means chasing stories that have very unpleasant endings.
How do reporters deal with stress? The same way other humans deal with stress—yoga, therapy, and a whole lot of chocolate. Make sure to take advantage of those outlets. Because this profession is so competitive, journalists often don't find that they can just take some time off. If you go into this field, have a game plan to deal with stress.
And no—it shouldn't all revolve around chocolate, tempting though that may be.