BBC’s stunningly successful sit-com “The Office”, directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, ay isang napakalaking hit around the world spawning countless spin offs and remakes.
The fact is that the comic situation transfers across cultural barriers. The exact idioms of the language may alter but essentially, nakikita natin ang mga tao sa palabas that we relate to in our own workplace – kung minsan nakikita natin ang ating sarili.
The people are not the only aspect of the show that transfers, so do the situations the characters find themselves in. Do these two quotes from “The Office” strike a chord?
Jim Halpert: Because right now, this is a job. If I advance any higher, this would be my career. And if this were my career, I’d have to throw myself in front of a train.
Michael Scott: This is our receptionist, Pam. If you think she’s cute now, you should have seen her a couple years ago.
Maaaring nakakatawa ang mga linyang ito, yet they point to something basic and fundamental pertaining to the workplace: stress and more specifically work-related stress.
CREATE A HEALTHY BALANCE OF STRESS
The Philippines Health and Safety at Work Executive (HSE); the Philippine government’s Work-related health and safety body define work related stress as: “the adverse reaction a person has to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed upon them.”
A certain degree of stress is healthy, it keeps us on our toes and drives us to achieve. In essence stress will cause us to lead more fulfilling lives. The difficulty is here however, is how do we create a healthy balance of stress dahil ang sobrang stress and anxiety ay tiyak na nakakasama sa iyong kalusugan and well-being?
What techniques can we apply to encourage stress and anxiety relief in our lives?
Stay with me for a short while and we’ll look at 10 simple ideas to initiate stress and anxiety relief at work.
1. TUNE INTO YOUR BODY
Maaaring ito ay isang simpleng ideya, but one that is the key to unlocking the box to the other stress and anxiety relief techniques na ating susuriin. Be aware of the degree of stress that you’re experiencing at any one moment in time. Una, kailangan mong malaman kung kalian tumataas ang iyong stress levels.
Measure your stress level on a scale of 1-10. Habang nasa bahay ka, find a time when you are alone and when you can lie down with your eyes closed. Patugtugin ang iyong paboritong musika for relaxing or just sit in silence, whatever works best for you.
Hayaan lamang na gumala ang iyong isip and do not seek to hold your thoughts, no matter how fleeting. Pagkatapos ng 10 minuto o higit pa, you should be aware of level zero stress.
This is the gauge for measuring all other stress levels. During the day check into the scale and not the level of tension that you’re feeling: are your shoulders hunched and tense; how does your gut feel, is it tight and churning; is your jaw clenched?
2. TAKE TIME TO MOVE
Movement is a great way to reduce stress levels. Sa pamamagitan lamang ng pag-alis sa iyong upuan and moving around, you will find that you will feel a measure of stress and anxiety relief. A brisk walk during your lunch break and a short jogging session at the end of the day will reduce tension. Generally, aim to keep fit anyway.
3. TAKE TIME FOR DEEP BREATHING
Huminga lang ng malalim, inhaling through the nostrils, after holding the breath for a count of three exhale slowly through the mouth.
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4. TAKE TIME TO USE YOUR MIND’S POWER OF IMAGERY
Ito ay isa pang mahusay na paraan to bring stress and anxiety relief into the workplace. Just take a moment or two to imagine that you are somewhere else. Pakinggan ang tunog ng dagat, create the vivid colors of the sky in your mind, soar off to your favorite place and do not wait for that distant vacation; go there today. The more vivid the images the better this stress and anxiety relief technique will work.
5. TAKE TIME TO CHALLENGE YOUR IRRATIONAL THOUGHTS
Be aware of your inner voice and the messages na ipinapadala sa iyo. Kadalasan, ang mga kaisipang ito are based on previous mind conditioning and the thoughts will be harmful and create unnecessary levels of stress. Halimbawa, if you are under pressure to get something done by a particular time, you may find yourself thinking “I must get this done or else I’m fired, and I’ll need to find another job!” This is probably not the case and if it is then you’re probably better looking for another job anyway.
6. TAKE TIME TO PLAN WORK INTO SMALLER MANAGEABLE TASKS
A large task can be overwhelming and may need to be broken down into simpler easier to complete jobs. We meet more step by step targets this way and feel a greater sense of achievement after each step is finished. Bigyan ang iyong sarili ng gantimpala for completing the smaller task and do not wait for the final task before you give yourself a pat on the back.
7. TAKE TIME TO REDUCE CAFFEINE INTAKE
Have you ever seen a two-year old completely wired after chomping through a few cookies or drinking cola? Well, iyon mismo ang nangyayari sa ating lahat when we take in too much sugar or caffeine. However, unlike the nipper at home, we can’t very well run around the office making airplane noises, we just carry the excess stress.
8. TAKE TIME TO HAVE A PLAY BREAK
Some professionals keep “squish” balls, or stress balls, in their workspace, a simple squeeze is all that is needed for rapid relief of stress and anxiety. Other Pinoys take a few minutes to play a game. Breaks interrupt the cycle of stress that can lead to being overwhelmed. By breaking out of the cycle of chronic stress, you can restore yourself physically and mentally.
9. TAKE TIME TO BLOW OFF STEAM – BUT FAIRLY
Don’t think that you can’t vent a little, but just remember words spoken in anger can haunt you for a long time if they are read or overheard by the wrong person. Don’t put anything in email you don’t want the whole office to see.
10. TAKE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE STRESS IS WORTHWHILE
Finally, tandaan na natural na makaramdam ng stress when you leave your comfort zone. Some stress must be endured as you expand your horizons, learn new tasks, and earn new responsibilities. That kind of stress may not be much fun, but in the long run, it’s worth it!
Author: The Pinoy Engineer
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