Last updated on Jul 25, 2024
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Recognize the signs
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Set boundaries and priorities
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Take breaks and recharge
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Seek support and feedback
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Keep learning and growing
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Find meaning and purpose
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QA engineering is a rewarding but demanding profession that requires constant learning, testing, and problem-solving. However, it can also lead to burnout and stress if you don't take care of yourself and your work environment. In this article, you'll learn some tips and strategies to cope with QA engineer burnout and stress and maintain your productivity and well-being.
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- Christopher Scott PCQI Head of Supplier Quality at Alexander Dennis
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- Dilshan Sriskandarajah Senior Quality Assurance Engineer | ISTQB® - CTAL-TA, CTFL Certified Tester
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- Vladimir Lektmanov Senior Quality Assurance Engineer - iTechArt Group
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1 Recognize the signs
Burnout and stress can manifest in different ways, such as physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, reduced motivation, lower quality of work, increased errors, irritability, anxiety, depression, and isolation. If you notice any of these signs in yourself or your colleagues, don't ignore them or try to push through them. They are indicators that something is wrong and needs to be addressed.
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- Dilshan Sriskandarajah Senior Quality Assurance Engineer | ISTQB® - CTAL-TA, CTFL Certified Tester
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To cope with QA engineer burnout and stress, manage your workload by prioritizing tasks and setting realistic deadlines. Take regular breaks, engage in stress-reducing activities, and maintain open communication with your team. Improve your work environment and processes, and build a strong support network to help manage stress and prevent burnout.
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- Vladimir Lektmanov Senior Quality Assurance Engineer - iTechArt Group
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The QA role in the team is one of the most toxic because no one likes when errors are found in their work - admitting and correcting errors is always internally unpleasant - because of this, there is often internal tension between developers and testers.The best thing you can do to level out this tension is to reformat your relationship with developers from “I look for errors in your work and point them out to you” into “We make a product together and I help you deliver your task to the customer without errors.”
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See AlsoHow to Become a QA Engineer in 2024 (Next Steps + Requirements)What Is a Quality Engineer? Job, Salary, & Skills to Become OneQa Engineer Salary in India | CutshortIs software quality assurance a good career? Why or why not?Love
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- Md Maruf Rahman ISTQB® Certified Tester | QA Automation Engineer | Cypress | WebdriverIO | Selenium |
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Coping with QA engineer burnout and stress involves fostering a supportive work environment. Encourage a healthy work-life balance, implement reasonable workload expectations, and provide opportunities for skill development. Promote open communication to address concerns and prevent bottlenecks. Rotate tasks to avoid monotony and offer mental breaks. Recognize and appreciate contributions to boost morale. Encourage a culture that values well-being, and consider flexible schedules. By prioritizing the mental health of QA engineers, teams can reduce burnout, enhance job satisfaction, and maintain a positive and productive testing environment.
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- Bethanie Ferguson Without commitment you'll never start. Without consistency you'll never finish.
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Well after experiencing this once in my life. This did happen right at the same time Covid hit and everything went on lockdown. March 2020! I would say since then it does seem a lot of companies implemented a Work Life Balance Strategy. No more long stretched work weeks waiting for the closest holiday to come around to be able to get a day off! I wish this was a thing prior to Covid. I might have never experienced the work burnout/health issues I had. So, I would say the new improvement of companies regulating the physical and mental health of their workers is great! This new idea of work life balance would have saved me a lot of years many years of working 7 days a week and 10-12 hour days.
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I once went through a tough time and didn’t realize how stressed I was until a teammate pointed it out. She not only noticed but also helped me come up with a plan to get back on track. Having that kind of support made a huge difference. It’s amazing how much better things can be when we’re looking out for each other and working together to get through challenges.
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2 Set boundaries and priorities
One of the main causes of burnout and stress is having too much work and too little time. To avoid this, you need to set clear and realistic boundaries and priorities for yourself and your projects. Learn to say no to requests that are not urgent, important, or aligned with your goals. Communicate your expectations and availability to your managers, clients, and teammates. Delegate or outsource tasks that are not your core competencies. And most importantly, respect your own limits and don't overcommit or overwork yourself.
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- Andrii Zinko QA Engineer | ISTQB Certified | Empowering Your Success with Precision QA 🔍✨
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Are you someone who can't fall asleep knowing there's unfinished work? I used to toss and turn, worried I'd forget important tasks by morning. Here's how I tackled this issue while setting clear boundaries and priorities:🔑 Key: Daily note-taking and prioritizationsHere's my strategy:1️⃣ During meetings: Note tasks relevant to you 🗒️2️⃣ Throughout the day: Jot down ideas as they come ⚡️💡3️⃣ End of day: List incomplete tasks ✅4️⃣ Next morning: Review team board and notes, then set priorities 🎯Benefits:Clear priorities keep you focused 🔍Boundaries between work and personal life improve 🏠💼Better productivity AND rest 😊💤I've become more productive and found a better work-life balance.
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3 Take breaks and recharge
Another key factor to cope with burnout and stress is to take regular breaks and recharge your energy and creativity. Don't skip your lunch break, your coffee break, or your weekend. Use these opportunities to relax, unwind, and do something that makes you happy or fulfilled. You can also try some mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, breathing exercises, or yoga, to calm your mind and body. And don't forget to get enough sleep, exercise, and nutrition to support your physical and mental health.
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What I’ve learned is that sometimes the best job-related ideas come when you’re not actually thinking about work. Taking a break or doing something totally unrelated can be surprisingly effective. After a long brainstorming session, it’s often the rest and relaxation that lead to those insights. It’s like giving your brain a chance to breathe and let the creativity flow naturally.
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4 Seek support and feedback
You don't have to deal with burnout and stress alone. You can seek support and feedback from your peers, mentors, managers, or friends. They can offer you advice, encouragement, perspective, or validation. You can also join online or offline communities of QA engineers who share your challenges and interests. You can learn from their experiences, exchange ideas, or vent your frustrations. And if you feel that you need professional help, don't hesitate to reach out to a therapist or a counselor who can assist you.
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- Andrii Zinko QA Engineer | ISTQB Certified | Empowering Your Success with Precision QA 🔍✨
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In one of my positions, I had a very supportive team, especially the team manager. Every time I felt down due to job circ*mstances or even personal issues that influenced my work, I could always talk to him. He would immediately make me feel that my job was appreciated, which always helped when I was feeling low. This supportive environment made a significant difference in my ability to manage stress and stay motivated in my QA role.
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5 Keep learning and growing
One of the joys of QA engineering is that you can always learn new skills, tools, or methods to improve your craft and stay relevant in the industry. However, learning can also be a source of stress if you feel overwhelmed by the amount of information or the pace of change. To cope with this, you need to adopt a growth mindset and a curiosity-driven approach. Instead of seeing learning as a chore or a pressure, see it as an opportunity or a challenge. Choose topics that interest you or relate to your goals. Set your own pace and goals. And celebrate your achievements and progress.
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6 Find meaning and purpose
Finally, one of the best ways to cope with burnout and stress is to find meaning and purpose in your work. Remember why you chose QA engineering as your career and what value you bring to your projects, clients, and users. Think about how your work contributes to the quality, functionality, and usability of the products you test. And reflect on how your work aligns with your personal values, passions, and vision. By finding meaning and purpose in your work, you can increase your satisfaction, motivation, and resilience.
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7 Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?
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- Christopher Scott PCQI Head of Supplier Quality at Alexander Dennis
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Quality Assurance Engineering can and is stressful. We often as QA experts find ourselves in what seems to be unpredictable situations, last minute requests and providing requirements which can cost the organisation considerable sums of money.Start with knowing the difference between stress and pressure. Stress is an emotional reaction to a particular event and it can be managed. Talk it through with a trusted colleague, ask how they see the situation. Most of the time it's the fear of making a mistake.Learning about crisis management in terms of non-conforming product focuses on the tried and tested PDCA cycle. Take a step back and try to see the task in its full picture.
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- Pelumi Olajide QA Engineer | ISTQB Certified Software Tester
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QA Engineering can be stressful, you may be working on different projects at a time, have deadlines fast approaching, etc.Prioritize tasks and communicate efficiently: You may have 5 tasks in your workspace, but you don’t have to worry about them all at once. Address them in order of priority, and if you find that you’ll be taking up more work than earlier estimated, discuss with your manager to re-align your tasks or timeline. Seek help from colleagues and mentors: sometimes stress is caused by blockers encountered at work, spending hours trying to debug a problem that should take minutes is definitely going to cause some stress. Reach out to people who can help, it can save you from a lot of stress. You don’t have to go at it alone.
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- Shefali Arya QA Leader | Strategizing Testing Solutions | Driving Quality Initiatives | ISTQB Certified | CPACC IAAP Certified in Digital Accessibility |
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Plan, Plan, Plan...The initial days of the sprint are less stressful than the middle and end.1. Use the initial days to write and review test cases.2. Collaborate with product owners to understand the requirements and plan your testing strategy.3. Use automation tools to reduce repetitive tasks and improve efficiency.By the middle of the sprint, when you start working on stories, you’ll be less stressed because 50% of the work will already be done.
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