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Being a fresher in the corporate pool can be unnerving even for the most competent and confident newbie. But as these initials days pass into being weeks and the weeks role into months, not only does the early jitter settle but a slow uncomfortable lull starts to set it. Early years in the business arena that is before acquiring a crucial decision making role, a budding manager’s days on the job might slowly start gaining a monotonous pace. So, with stiff competition and a long corporate road ahead, it is essential to revive a childhood hobby and strictly follow a stress busting routine to stay in the game and stay motivated.

Why

In this given dog-eats-dog corporate environment being at your best at all times is a necessity. As soon as the initial rush of adrenaline mellows down, life on the job will slowly yet steadily start taking its toll on all the other facets of your life. A solid balance between your personal, professional and leisure lifestyle will keep stress at bay. Stress can deteriorate your productivity both in the mental as well as the physical realm. Having a hobby would help you not only to cut away from the mundane routine, but will also give you a sense of accomplishment, a rush of endorphins (happiness)and will boost your confidence. Being a medium for innovative and creative outlet hobbies help to problem solve and relieve stress. Keeping depression at bay, being involved in an active hobby will get you that much needed physical boost as well as chase away lethargy that usually accompanies the white-collared lifestyle.

What

First there are those regular hobbies that only satisfy your creative craving and then there are others that help you up your corporate game while keeping you both entertained and relaxed at the same time. Here are few of the latter kind of hobbies and stress busting techniques along with their respective benefits

• Creative hobbies like painting, photography, pottery are for those who are inclined towards or already involved in jobs in public relation, marketing and sales. These artistic pursuits will boost your creative and innovative skills,a talent that is required to excel in these sectors.

• Indulging in team sports will project you as a team player to your employer and will help in understanding the dynamics of working with like-minded people. Games such as football, basketball and cricket will also help you build strategies as a team member with a common goal in mind. Such hobbies are not only good for the body but it also feeds the need of the mind and soul.
• Some like to read and write, using it as a medium to vent their frustration and calm their nerves. For anyone with a role that emphasizes on effective communication and social media interaction, these pursuits of leisure will help you blow some steam off as well as help in honing your corporate skills in the bargain. Reading will help in research intensive jobs.So, a trip to the city library to read or a stroll to the park with your pen and paper to write should be the apt hobby for you.
• If mind tricks are your thing and games that exercise them your hobby then join either a chess club or the Sudoku bandwagon to stress bust. These strategic games help in the areas of policy making and strategy formulation. So folks with planning-based roles – get your mind game on!
• Hobbies that involve community service or involvement of a group might prepare you for the role of a collaborator. It might also project you as a humane persona, a trait essential for managerial roles.
• Business development and sales role requires the employee to own skills like determination, tenacity, drive and a strong sense of purpose. Endurance sports like swimming, sprinting and cycling hone exactly such qualities.

• If living on the edge is your idea of having a good time then take up trekking, camping, mountaineering, dirt racing and the likes as your hobby. Such acts are not only physically and mentality exhilarating but showcases you as a person who isn’t afraid to push beyond boundaries.

How

Every corporate firm has a functional human resource team that constantly works towards the welfare of the employee in order to enhance productivity and sustain loyalty.

This department is responsible for all kinds of in-house recreational perks. These HR folk’s main task is to keep the stress level at a minimal level at all times. Official recreational trips, managing company’s sports team, celebrating specific cultural or recreation oriented days like ethnic day, St.Patrick’s day and the likes are part of their work profile. Weekend office get-togethers and outings are arranged in order to socialize and create an inter-personal environment so that the employees would get to know each other and also to relax the strictly-business environment at work. The latest infrastructural additions to big MNCs and major firms are the recreational room, gym, hobby lobby and an eatery for the employees to use during and after work hours. So, if you are having a case of jitters at your work place or are at your wits end de to the work load, just take a break and head to either the hobby lobby to play some snooker or hit the gym and pump that stress away. For those working in smaller offices, the option is to either join an independent club that houses all the amenities mentioned above or to enroll into hobby specific classes or groups. So, now that you’ve tapped into your inner child and picked a sport, draw a schedule and stick to it. Having a hobby alone won’t help you but indulging in it at regular interval and in a consistent manner will.

In a gist

In this corporate roller coaster, if a win-win lifestyle is what you are aiming for then learn to strike a perfect balance. Don’t let the stress at work snowball into your personal, physical and mental arena. Take charge by fine tuning your lifestyle by catering to your emotional as well as physical needs. Make choices that would help indulge your inner child and hone your creative alter ego.

To attain an overall happier state of being – a total overhaul might not be the order but minute tweaks in your work and personal life will most definitely do to the trick.

BUDDING MANAGERS
JULY 2014 ISSUE