Family, friends and recreation, the way to less stress

Family, friends and recreation, the way to less stress

By Rita A. Widiadana

JAKARTA (JP): Soon after receiving an MBA from a prestigious
university in the United States, Randy Irawan joined a noted
financial consulting firm in Jakarta.

Irawan (not his real name) was thrilled at the opportunity of
doing such work. He started as a junior financial consultant at
the company six years ago. He enthusiastically plunged into
various projects. As a young and idealist worker, he used every
opportunity to finish his work ahead of schedule. He began
working harder and harder.

Now he works more than 15 hours a day, starting work an hour
before anyone else arrives. He regularly stays in the office
until 11 p.m., and often works weekends as well. He rarely takes
his 12-day annual leave.

His working schedule is very heavy. Meetings with bosses,
staff and clients; discussions, seminars and traveling are his
day-to-day activities. Playing sport, going on vacation and
relaxing hardly enter his mind. "Working hard is my ethos," said
Irawan, 35, who seems to really enjoy his life.

When traveling, a cellular phone and laptop are his constant
companions. Whenever and wherever possible, he takes these two
things with him to maintain contact with his supervisor and to
complete his reports before meeting his boss.

The result of all his hard work has been amazing. Now, he is
the director of finance at the same company. He earns Rp 30
million (US$12,600) a month excluding bonuses. He owns two BMW
sedans, an expensive jeep and a modern house in Bintaro Jaya
housing complex in South Jakarta, home to many yuppies. He does
not have to worry about money and can buy anything he wants.

The average person may envy his glamourous lifestyle. But is
he really happy?

In a recent survey by Marketing Research Specialist published
by SWA monthly magazine it is revealed that many executives lead
luxurious lives. Basic needs such as housing and cars are within
easy reach for them. Of the 308 managers (262 men and 46 women)
questioned, 85.1 percent of them own houses and villas.

Modern equipment such as computerized notebooks, personal
computers, credit cards, cellular phones, BMWs and Mercedes-Benz
are symbols of their prosperity. Luxury cars are owned by 37.76
percent of the respondents, 18.8 percent have "gold" credit cards
and 67.5 percent have "classic" credit cards.

Of the respondents, 81.5 percent to 79 percent spend much of
their after-hours in restaurants, 77.6 percent spend time in book
stores, 68.2 percent exercise, 68.9 percent window shop, 42
percent visit pub and cafes, 26.3 percent go to discos, and 4.5
percent surf the Internet.

"No, I am not happy at all. I feel terrible. Since I joined
the company I've practically stopped seeing my friends, I started
drinking alcohol and I am so depressed. I feel that I have run
out of gas," said Irawan who looks older than his age. He suffers
severe back pain, high blood pressure, migraines, insomnia and
serious stomach ache.

Suma'moer from the Indonesian Doctors Association said in a
recent seminar jointly held by the association and Bisnis
Indonesia daily that many executives suffer from such stress-
related conditions such as backache, headache, muscle pain and
gastrointestinal disorders because of their lifestyles.

"Everywhere you look, it's laptops, cellular phones and faxes.
No one takes a break anymore. With e-mail and overnight mail
people have stopped building direct communications," the doctor
said.

Such symptoms do not occur suddenly and do not disappear after
a good night's sleep. Rather, they are chronic conditions, what
one researcher has called a general erosion of the spirit that
has several possible consequences: loss of enthusiasm for work or
family, trouble concentrating, reduced creativity, depression,
alienation and even paranoia.

Workplace ambience also plays an important part in creativity.
"Whenever you find a situation that demands more energy than an
individual can give, you have to be ready to enter a stressful
environment," he said.

Smoking and drinking alcohol certainly worsens the problem,
and an imbalanced diet contributes to other illnesses such as
diabetes, heart attack and obesity.

In the United States, stress-related diseases cost American
companies between US$75 billion and $160 billion annually. There
is no record of the cost to Indonesian companies.

Dadang Hawari, chairman of the Indonesian Psychiatric
Association, believes a combination of factors cause all the
trouble. "Families, religious structures and communities are less
stable now," he said.

"It is people who find meaning beyond work who are most
resilient, the ones who have strong religious beliefs, a sense
that there's something bigger that 'me', or a spiritual dimension
that prevents stress.

"Employees who maintain a balance of family, friends,
recreation and work are the least stressed at work," he said.