MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER
By: Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero

Did you know that roughly 90% of doctor's visits are caused by stress-related conditions? According to a study conducted by the British Medical Journal, chronic stress has been linked to the development of heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other health conditions.

Chronic stress occurs when we experience stress factors such that our nervous system rarely has a chance to activate a relaxation response. Needless to say, this condition is common among working people who go through the traffic rush, heavy workload, and other stress factors on a daily basis.

But the good news is you can do something about it. Doctors emphasize the importance of learning stress management techniques and making healthy lifestyle changes to keep the negative impact of chronic stress at bay.

At work, you can take some steps to make your job easier. Not only will this help you avoid chronic stress but will also save you energy for some quality time at home.

ORGANIZE. The first step to make your job easier is to organize. Hindi nakakatulong sa trabaho kapag magulo ang iyong pinagtatrabahuan. A disorganized workplace can cause confusion, and makes it difficult – and time-consuming – to look for things when you need them. A disorganized workplace also creates an illusion that you have a lot to do which surely can put you in a bad mood. So start cleaning and organizing.

STOP HATING YOUR BOSS. This may sound difficult for some, but it works. When you hate your boss, it feels like every task that he or she asks you to do is extra work that you should not be doing. You start complaining and unnecessarily expend energy just to start the task.

When you stop hating your boss, you avoid unnecessary corporate conflicts. More importantly, you release yourself from a lot of emotional baggage and you feel much more relaxed at work while doing your job.

MOTIVATIONS AND REWARDS. We all have our own reasons for staying employed – whether to give your family a good life or to earn cash for your dream car. To keep your drive up, remind yourself often about why you are working.

Also, give yourself a little reward for a job well done. At the end of each week, go out with your friends or family and have fun. This way, there will always be something to push you in doing your best always at work.

KEEP A POSITIVE OUTLOOK. Madalas ang kailangan lamang natin ay ang itama ang ating pananaw sa buhay. We need to maintain an optimistic outlook when faced with difficulties. Studies show that optimistic people are better achievers, have deeper resilience in the face of difficulties, and have a longer, healthier life.

One thing that Filipinos can truly be proud of is the ability to maintain a positive attitude amidst crises. We can see this today, after Typhoon Ondoy wrought damage to numerous communities. We can still see people smiling even when they lost a lot in the floods.