To some degree, this form of anxiety is virtually ubiquitous in our society. Many families find that there is never enough money to meet present demands while planning for future desires. Just when we think we've overcome one financial crisis, one of the kids flushes his socks down the toilet and the plumber presents us with a whopping repair bill. Or, more seriously, illness will strike, depleting a family's meager reserves. Sometimes a worker holds two jobs, or both partners work out of financial necessity, not by choice. The tensions that arise from an employee's desire to perform well and to please bosses and co-workers—and family members—sometimes intermingle with feelings of boredom or career dissatisfaction, leading to a frequent, if not constant, desire to "chuck it all."

In addition, many people "take their jobs to bed" with them when they turn in. Perhaps you lie awake for half an hour or so, mentally running down your calendar of appointments for the following day. Perhaps you rehearse your sales presentation or outline the steps you need to take to complete a project. You may replay scenes of confrontation over and over, working yourself up into a state of rage over some insult, real or imagined. You may continually rewrite past scenes so that—in your head, at least—you succeed where before you failed, or so that you deliver just the right remark at just the right opportunity. You may worry about a promotion, a layoff, a shift in responsibilities, or the arrival of a new employee. Any of these situations can trigger a troubled night's sleep.

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