hsp career problems 

Welcome to the Ultimate Guide on Highly Sensitive Person Careers!

We can talk about the benefits of being a highly sensitive person and embracing our true selves all day long, but that doesn’t negate the fact that navigating life as an HSP in a non-HSP world is hard.  

And it’s especially hard when it comes to navigating the world of work.

We want to contribute, make a difference, and yes, most of us also need to make money to pay the bills.  

But most work places and work cultures aren’t set up to accommodate sensitive people.  So you almost inevitably end up spending a huge chunk of your waking hours in a setting that’s not a good match for your temperament.  Which in turn means excessive stress slowly wearing you down, day after day after day…

This stress typically originates from one or more of the 7 most common HSP career problems listed below.

1. PHYSICAL OVERLOAD

Physical triggers are probably the most obvious culprit of HSP workplace misery.  Constant exposure to noise, smells, or flickering lights will irritate most HSPs both mentally and physically.

2. Emotional Overload

HSPs tend to be high in empathy and very in tune with the moods of everyone around them.  We literally feel other people’s feelings in our own bodies.  Even for HSPs who have learned techniques for keeping other people’s emotions separate from their own, spending extended periods of time around people who relish conflict and aggression or people exuding negativity might turn out to be an exhausting endeavor.

3. Time Pressure

HSPs process information deeply and like to think things through.  We also need more downtime than non-HSPs to give our sensitive nervous system time to recover from overstimulation.  This is why careers that require fast action or constantly being “on” are likely to cause excessive stress for HSPs.  We are not go-go-go people.

4. Meaningless Work

While the business world mostly focuses on the bottom line, HSPs tend to be caring and compassionate people, who obviously want to make a living, but who also seek to make a difference and make the world a better place.  We want our work to be personally meaningful and to have a higher purpose.  This is why work environments where performance and profits are valued above all else are likely to depress HSPs.

5. Workplace Cultures That Take Advantage of Conscientious People

HSPs are naturally conscientious people who often fall in the “people pleaser” and “rule follower” camps.  We like to do the right thing and meet expectations.  While these qualities are beneficial in some situations, possessing them also means that HSPs who don’t have good personal boundaries are easily taken advantage of.  They will pick up the slack and burn themselves out.  And even for HSPs with good boundaries, constantly battling a workplace culture that’s founded on unreasonable expectations can prove to be extremely taxing.

6. Boredom

The "funny" thing about HSPs is that while we are easily overstimulated physically, we are just as easily understimulated mentally.  Our brains are designed for deep processing and they get hungry without a steady diet of intellectual stimulation.  :)  So many HSPs will get bored and dissatisfied if their work is repetitive or if it doesn't provide opportunities for continued growth.

7. A Work Situation That Is Not A Good Fit With Your Personal Life

None of us just work.  We live full lives with responsibilities and demands outside of work.  And sometimes you can't pinpoint a problem with the work per se.  It's more that you just have too many things on your plate when it's all combined and not enough capacity to carry it all.  This is a situation many HSPs find themselves in when kids are added to the mixture.  Prior to kids, you could use your free time to recharge, but with kids, it gets harder to find the time.

Can you relate?  If yes...  If you nodded your head at one or more of the problems above, then read on...