“The number of stressors has multiplied exponentially: traffic, money, success, work/life balance, the economy, the environment, parenting, family conflict, relationships, disease. As the nature of human life has become far more complicated, our ancient stress response hasn’t been able to keep up,” says American philosopher Andrew J. Bernstein. It’s just as true in urban India and Bengaluru.
Modern-day lives may come with modern-day amenities and modern-day opportunities. But they come with modern-day burdens as well. If you’re feeling the strain, read on to find out how other working professionals in Bengaluru are beating their stress…
There are considerate companies in this Silicon Valley that provide indoor games in the office as well as a well-stocked pantry or snacks room to give employees an enhanced sense of well-being. Manual tester Priya Gattani says she is fortunate to work in such a place even though she suffers stress because of her team leads and managers as well as short deadlines. “My workplace has ‘take a break’ spots where I can spend some ‘me time’ which is important and helps release stress. During this time, I also enjoy a full cup of coffee, which is an absolute stressbuster for me,” she confides. Another tip she offers is boundaries. “As office consumes 70 per cent of my time, including the commute, I spend time with my family and my own space leaving everything at the office door. That is the utmost important thing an employee has to follow.”
Ritesh Venkatesh, Business Development Lead, says that work in the Sales department is hectic. “What with the travelling and all the processes required to be done before concluding a deal puts us under a lot of stress. And while a six-day week is bad enough, sometimes the stress goes higher when I have to go meet customers even on my off day.” There’s certainly a lot of pressure when you’re in a front-facing function in a company. And all this can create an imbalance between your personal and professional life. But it can (and should) be managed by inventing your own stressbusters, he laughs. “During office hours, I find some relief when I take a short break with music or games on my phone and non-office related conversation with a colleague. After work, a pleasant conversation with family over a delicious dinner accompanied by making weekend plans, eases the strain of the day,” he says.
Creative people face stress too, albeit differently. Designer Girish Alage emphasises that a designer should be never put in stress or hurry because his creativity suffers. Clients tend to make unrealistic demands and expect people to deliver impossible results. “With all such work pressures, these days, lives can be quite stressful. A tea break, a small walk and writing short stories is what I do to get away from the negativity and refocus on what needs to be done,” he explains, adding, “Outside of office, spending time with family, working out, cooking, writing and hanging out with friends helps me to relieve the daily stress.” A healthy work-life balance clearly is key for all kinds of professionals.
Spirituality and a positive approach can help too. And this can also come in the form of pursuing a personal passion that gives you a sense of satisfaction. Hrishi, content specialist in a start-up, explains, “My love for music and writing goes hand in hand. I play drums, which I feel gives me a great sense of clarity and helps me focus when I’m writing. Not being a gym person, I go for long runs too. I meditate a lot, which I suggest to others too. Initially, it is hard but once you do it regularly, you can cope with the stress much better.”
And physical activity is something Gattani recommends highly too, as dance and exercise on a daily basis keep her fit and relaxed. “Following an exercise regimen or any body movement like yoga, dance, etc keeps your whole day active,” she says.
As you find peace and balance, remember to breathe and be calm, you will start to see the wisdom in the Chinese proverb: Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.
