Stress me out

Forbes has a list of the least stressful jobs of 2013 (find it here).  On the top of the list is university professor.    This is absolutely laughable.  I'm not sure if they've met any of the science faculty around any major research institution, but that's about the most stressful job I can imagine.  Meeting and working with faculty members here at Michigan's School of Public Health has convinced me to stay as far away from academia as possible.

For example, many professors I've studied under are awake all the time.  Awake AND working.  Yes, ALL the time.  For instance, an assistant professor I worked with last year has 2 kids and a nanny because she and her husband are both science professors and don't actually have time to spend with their children.

Not only are these people teaching courses to a bunch of whiny grad students, but they HAVE to get grants funded.  Most professors here have it in their contract that 40-60% of their salaries will be paid by their own grants.

Do you know how hard it is to get a grant these days?  Well, let me give you a little story about that....  I helped work on a grant last year.  It was awesome.  Just a beautiful grant.  It was in the top 1% of grants during that submission.  It did NOT get funded.  Nope.

There is so much competition being a research professor anywhere because of the competition for funding that people work 20 hrs a day and neglect their own families.  How is that the least stressful job of 2013?

After Readings Forbes' Least Stressful Jobs of the Year 2013: