`Traffic congestion makes me crazy'<\/p>\n
No one will deny that living in a big city like Jakarta can be
\nstressful. However, most Jakartans accept stress as part of the
\ncost of living in the capital. The Jakarta Post spoke to several
\nresidents about stress and how they cope with it:<\/p>\n
Eddy, 31, works as a private driver for an executive in
\nSunter, North Jakarta. His wife and two children live in
\nCimanggis, West Java:<\/p>\n
Jakarta is traffic congestion. All of the streets in the city
\nare crowded with vehicles. It is impossible to avoid this
\ndistressing fact every day.<\/p>\n
I have studied city maps to find all the shortcuts, but it's
\nno use because all the roads are congested during rush hour.<\/p>\n
As a result, my boss sometimes complains because she is
\nsometimes late for meetings. But what can I do? There is nothing
\nI can do about it, right?<\/p>\n
I have given up on the situation. Worse still, I have to work
\nup to 15 hours a day due to the traffic. It really exhausts my
\nenergy and time.<\/p>\n
I never get home before nine at night. It really drives me
\ncrazy. I can't stand this job any longer. I'm so depressed that I
\nam having stomach problems. I throw up every morning and have no
\nappetite.<\/p>\n
Maybe I will quit and work as a motorcycle taxi driver, like I
\nused to. I would have lots more time with my family then.
\nBesides, riding a motorcycle is less stressful than to car.<\/p>\n
Even watching soccer on TV or talking to my wife doesn't get
\nrid of my stress. It's driving me mad.<\/p>\n
Well, I should talk to my wife first about quitting. But this
\njob is unbearable and is really driving me crazy.<\/p>\n
Iwan, 29, sells sunglasses along the sidewalk in Senen,
\nCentral Jakarta. He lives in Salemba, Central Jakarta, with some
\nfriends:<\/p>\n
Everybody knows that living in Jakarta is stressful.
\nIt is getting worse for me, with my business slowing down.
\nNo one is interested in buying sunglasses anymore. Maybe people
\njust don't have the money to spend.<\/p>\n
This makes me depressed because I don't even have the money to
\npay for my daily meals.<\/p>\n
When I feel stressed I'd rather be alone rather than spend
\ntime with friends. I just think that being with friends does not
\nsolve my problems.<\/p>\n
Usually when I'm in terrible stress, I prefer to be alone and
\npray to God. I try to surrender to God since I believe that God
\nprovides people with what they need.<\/p>\n
This gives me the strength to cope with the situation. When I
\nhaven't eaten all day, I just think that there is always tomorrow
\nand another chance to earn money. That helps ease my depression.<\/p>\n
Hari, 25, works for a company in South Jakarta. He lives in
\nSawangan, West Java, with his family:<\/p>\n
Traffic in Jakarta upsets me so much that I feel depressed
\nevery day. Every day I have to cope with rush hour traffic before
\nand after work.<\/p>\n
I come from a village, so I'm used to a more peaceful and
\nrelaxed lifestyle. I think that's why the traffic bothers me so
\nmuch.<\/p>\n
Worse, several times I have been ticketed by the police for
\nriding around on my old motorcycle. Last month the police
\nticketed me twice for this reason.<\/p>\n
But I don't like to stay at home because my mother always
\nasks me for money. She doesn't know how hard it is to earn money
\nin Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The whole situation makes me desperate. That's why I would
\nrather go live with my relatives who are relatively more educated
\nand able to understand my life.<\/p>\n
I'm sure that Jakarta is the source of all this stress.
\nJakarta drives me crazy all the time. But I have no other choice
\nif I want to make money.<\/p>\n
So, I just try to sing as much as I can when I'm driving
\nthrough traffic to reduce the stress.<\/p>\n
Yeni, 46, works in sales in Tebet, South Jakarta. She lives in
\nMenteng, Central Jakarta, with her family:<\/p>\n
Traffic congestion in Jakarta is the main source of pressure
\nfor me. But what can we do? If we want to live in the city, we
\nhave to accept it.<\/p>\n
We can't avoid these situation as long as we live in the city.
\nSo, the best way to cope with stress is just to enjoy it.<\/p>\n
Usually when I feel depressed, I just listen to music and sing
\nalong to the songs. Or sometimes I go to a good friend to pour
\nout my feelings.<\/p>\n
I'm learning to enjoy stress as something that makes life more
\ncolorful. I mean, life becomes more dynamic with the stress.<\/p>\n
While enjoying stress, I'm sure there must be a way to fix
\nthese problems. That's based on my experience.<\/p>\n
-- Leo Wahyudi S<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/traffic-congestion-makes-me-crazy-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }