Franz Kafka, the surreal German writer, sure knew how to define work stress. It was quite apparent (though still disputed to this day), in his famous work, The Metamorphosis, that one turns into a monster when dealing with job stress. Gregor Samsa, the unfortunate salesman who on an equally unfortunate day, awoke as a roach-like creature. That much has to say how much he dreads his work – he’ll quit if he can, only he needs to get through due to financial problems.
Surreal, but not as quite as my morning. Though I didn’t wake up as a roach (I wouldn’t want that to happen), I did happen to have the chance to sweep one up this morning. A dead one, in fact. Strange, being in an otherwise clean office, that there was a dead roach on the floor.
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I didn’t actually notice it. My boss did. And it was quite embarrassing, since she came early to work. Still, it’s long gone, as I dumped it in a dark and damp trash can. So what’s surreal about my morning? I may just have disposed of Samsa’s body.
Maybe Samsa found a way to get out of his house. Maybe he wanted to get to work. Maybe he had to make sure he’s earning enough money – for him and his family. That sure made me feel guilty.
Knowing that I would never want to turn into a roach – and be stepped on – I gathered enough information on dealing with job stress. You can never be sure, as they do say. Or am I getting crazy?
Nevertheless, let me share how we can all avoid turning into a Gregor Samsa. Quickly, here are some tips:
Time Borrowed, Time Lent
Samsa hated to travel. Kafka sure got that right in his book. But come to think of it, if Samsa actually took the time to create a schedule, he’ll essentially save himself from all the traffic and hassle of getting to work. Also, a schedule will also help figure out the tasks needed to prioritize. It’s no wonder that Samsa can’t seem to get any sales at all – he didn’t fit it into his schedule!
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What Takes your Fancy?
Samsa apparently led a simple and dull life. That’ll take more to fight stress! Physical activities (sports) and mentally stimulating exercises (puzzles) can mean the difference of having stress and fun. So that’s the reason why Samsa always likes to crawl in dark places – it’s such a boring activity, he needs to brighten his life more!
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I am Listening
It is said that if you have a problem, it’ll be better to share it with someone else. Otherwise, you’ll be harboring a deep, dark crevice in your soul. We can all avoid job stress if we talk things over. You can see how big a difference it’ll make letting your thoughts out. I know, for I pity Samsa – he has lost his ability to talk.
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So now, as I write this article, I hope that we can all avoid turning into roaches. I am now pretty scared of seeing Samsa again – I just wished that things went differently for him! Nevertheless, make sure to keep these tips on mind, and manage your job stress properly.
