What is a Highly Sensitive Person or HSP?
A Highly Sensitive Person gets deeply affected by physical, emotional, or social stimuli. The Highly Sensitive People or HSPs have an intensified or deeper central nervous system sensitivity which lets them pick up on subtleties in their environment that others miss. However, there are more cons than pros being a Highly Sensitive Person. HSPs can easily become overwhelmed and feel tired more often. As their nervous system gets overloaded by processing too much sensory input at once.
Being a Highly Sensitive Person can challenge as others often misjudge them and call them ‘too sensitive’, but it is not a diagnosable condition. It is a personality trait that includes increased receptiveness to both positive and negative stimuli.
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What are the common symptoms of Highly Sensitive Person?
There are several common symptoms that define whether a person is highly sensitive. We have mentioned some of them in the below list.
- HSPs exclusively avoid violence. They cannot watch movies or TV shows that are full of violent scenes. They get intensely affected by violence, and if they do by accident, it leaves them unsettled for a longer period than usual.
- HSPs get feel deeply connected by nature. They feel lively in the middle of nature, and get motivated by natural beauty.
- Highly Sensitive People are greatly moved by the beauty of art, uplifting human spirit. They connect with inspirational commercial visuals more often than other.
- HSPs get overwhelmed noise, crowded places, bright lights, suffocating work places, or uncomfortable clothing.
- HSPs often feel the need to reconnect to themselves and time to readjust to life. Especially when they have a rough day overall, they feel the strong need to isolate themselves and time alone in a quiet, dark room to reflect, rethink and reevaluate.
- Highly Sensitive People often have a rich and complex inner life. They have unique and deep thoughts about existential life and their emotional health is strongly connected to it.
Relation Between a Highly Sensitive People and their workplace
Despite society considering sensitivity a negative trait, highly sensitive person can perform really well in a work positive environment.
| Positive | Negative |
| HSPs focus on the details. They are detail-oriented people and are very organized. They are loyal and dedicated people. They are highly creative. HSPs have a strong intuition. They can pick up on others’ emotion well and response accordingly. Highly Sensitive People avoid office politics at any cost. | They face difficulties performing in front of others. HSPs have difficulty in forming bond with others. They shut down if their nervous system picks up too many stimuli at the same time. HSPs are afraid of rejection. They are sensitive to loud and crowded work place. HSPs prefer work that requires little to no supervision. That is, they prefer to work alone. |
Also read: Why Are Women More Depressed Than Men?
Why highly sensitive women need low stress jobs?
When it comes to sensitivity, women are more sensitive than that of men. As women are naturally emotionally expressive, they tend to experience these emotionally exhausting stimuli more often than men. Highly sensitive women are prone to express emotions like happiness, sadness, fear or disgust more visibly than men.
This is the reason why a low stress career can be the solution for highly sensitive person especially the women.
- A highly sensitive person must avoid a lot of confrontation in their workplaces.
- HSPs tend to get mentally exhausted if they have to deal with a lot of people simultaneously and non-stop.
- Work that is too ‘risky’ both mentally and physically, a HSP must avoid such work.
- A highly sensitive person cannot work well in sales industry, as sales industry majorly focuses on making money with often doesn’t incline with HSP’s principles or interests.
- Highly sensitive people cannot work well under pressure and limited time frame as they have trouble being controlled.
- HSPs avoid competitive, loud, hectic environment.
- They feel suffocated by monotonous work.
- An introverted, highly sensitive person prefers to work individually rather than in a team.
What are some low stress career options for highly sensitive women?
The highly sensitive people prefer work and work that’s suitable for them are majorly creativity oriented. Highly sensitive people love to convey their ideas and feeling out to the world. Low stress jobs that help them showcase their creativity are preferable job options for highly sensitive women. HSPs prefer to work individually so that it doesn’t affect their sensitive nervous system. Low stress career options are best for them. Some of the low stress career options we have listed below:
- Artist
- Painter
- Illustrator
- Graphic designer
- Freelancer
- Writer
- Editor
- Massage therapist
- Counselor
- Actor
- Influencer
- Accountant
- Musician
- Singer
- Dancer
- Business owner
- Music teacher
- Tutor
- Online tutor
- Private tutor
- Interior designer
- Fashion designer
- Blogger
- Youtuber
- Tarot reader
- Physiotherapist
- Massager
- Investigator
- Detective
- Perfume tester
- Analyst
- Motivational speaker
Wrapping up
If you’re also one of those 20% of total world population that are identified as highly sensitive people, look for a job that are aligned with your interests and give you space to showcase your creativity. Low stress jobs will make you feel less drained than the hectic work environments. Make sure to get informed about your workplace beforehand by asking questions in the interviews. If you can work stress free, nothing can stop you from excelling in your work.
Also read: How to Know if You’re Self-Sabotaging Yourself and How to Stop?