Korean Job Discussion Forums

[IncognitoHFX]

I'm pretty stressed out. It's nothing new, I was stressed all the way through High School, and in university I took full course loads and worked the backshift everynight at crappy jobs. The second I finished University I came to Korea and became stressed because of the change in culture, and the kind/amount of work that I do. I think it's all downhill from here, as my next contract is going to be better than this one, et cetera.

However, I'd like to start doing something about my stress now before it starts having adverse effects on my body. Is there anything anyone can recommend? I don't know if it's possible to get a medical prescription in Korea, but if it were, there is the problem of medical insurance. Is there any over the counter stuff you'd recommend? A tea even?

I already exercise and I'm pretty active, but it doesn't seem to help enough.

[Fishead soup]

Stress can affect your blood pressure. This can make you prone to heart attacks and strokes. There are many medications for high blood pressure. That you can take without your boss knowing.

[CabbageTownRoyals]

I would only recommend medication as a last resort. Nothing against it, but wouldn't you rather get to the heart of the issue rather than deal with it later? Thats just me anyway - if I was depressed for example, the idea of taking prozac (needing it) would just depress me more I think!

Interesting that you are so aware of your stress and are still in the same place. Perhaps you should ask yourself 'why am i stressed?' I understand you were stressed in High School/Uni, there's a lot of pressure. And yes, now - there are also a lot of things that could stress you out ( traffic, pushy people, crowds, teaching, homesickness etc) BUT none of these are very important are they? You must be giving them more credit than they're worth. I think stress is a product of taking life too seriously. Just remind yourself that none of these small things matter - don't sweat the small stuff

Unless of course the causes of your stress are very serious, then you need to talk to people, address the issue properly....

I used to be quite a stressed person and took everything too seriously. I definitely DONT now, probably the other extreme, oh well

Things that helped me: the outdoors, my dogs, yoga, meditation, getting out of an unhealthy relationship, travel (having something to look forward to), helping others, paying lots of money for great coffee and great chocolate (also to aid me in giving up smoking), buying an ipod so I could 'switch off' on the subway and other stressful places in Korea, avoiding people that stress-me-out. Oh, and- I quit my stressful job 4 years ago. I had no back up plan and no money but knew that I couldn't stay there. best thing I did in my life...

However, I think the most important thing is definitely your frame of mind. You are only stressed because you allow yourself to be. My base realization was this: I remembered being in High School and stressing over exams because I really pushed myself for the top scores. But now these exams mean absolutely nothing, in fact I could have sat them without studying, still passed and it wouldn't have changed my life now at all. Then I remembered writing my Masters and being stressed because i only wanted first class. I could have scraped by, got a low pass and would still be teaching in Korea now. Then I remembered being stressed over almost-missing my flight last year. But there is always another flight, another ticket, another plane. I could go on and on. Basically most of what you stress over doesn't really matter a few years later.

Anyway, this is just my humble opinion, I bet you get a million different responses...

[DRAMA OVERKILL]

Get a Valium prescription filled. That will help. Don't abuse it though!

Serioulsy, if you see a doc. and explain your situation like you did in your post, he/she will more than likely give you something to help you out.

Over the counter meds., I don't know... The over the counter medication here doesn't seem to work for me very well - too weak.

[BS.Dos.]

Hit the gym, pound some tarmac etc. Seriously. Go exert yourself.

[RACETRAITOR]

Post messages on Dave's about how much you hate Koreans.

[Newbie]

Drink... but I guess if you started you'd have to stop looking down on those who already do it.

Seriously though, that's a pretty broad question, isn't it. Everyone has something different... exercise, reading, drinking, movies, music, sex, meditation, yoga. Try them all and hope one fits. Good luck.

[CeleryMan]

Socal Kush pacifies me like no other. Cannabis does wonders for those who lack the emotional intelligence to manage their anxieties.

[mistermasan]

get a good lover.

[BS.Dos.]

Beat your students.

[crusher_of_heads]

Sing along with the EV boys and their tune

[Dome Vans]

I hate to be hurried. In the mornings at school I hate the queue for printing, or the printer going on the blink. I have my lessons planned and ready to go but the printing can take a while. This throws me slightly for the rest of the day.

I like to be organised, I get one hour before I leave for school, I have breakfast, shower and check my emails daily and without rush. I cannot rush in the morning, even for 20 minutes extra in bed it's just not worth it. I find the rushing and panic in the morning carries on for the whole day.

I very rarely am stressed. After working for 4 years as a chef you realise that planning is the best way to beat stress. I planned my bosses wedding and did canapes and then a buffet and a three tier wedding cake for them and their 100 guests, whilst running my restaurant and doing 'from scratch' lunches for 75 people everyday. The wedding was done with a three week plan of what I needed to do everyday. I went like clockwork. Perfection and no stress, and the lunches were still at the usual high standard.

As mentioned people do other things gym, drinking, reading, walking etc. Concentrate on what you need to do and forget worrying about the other stuff, your brain needs idle time so forget about worrying about things that aren't important.

As they say in the States, 'Don't sweat the small stuff'

[ernie]

i agree with this post ^... here's my philosophy:

take your time in the morning instead of waking up at the last possible second... eat breakfast, have a coffee (if that's what you like), watch something funny on tv or the intertubes and leave for work with plenty of time to spare...

at work, don't try to be the hero - do your best but understand that you don't have to do everything for everyone... learn to say 'NO' to people... understand that sometimes things don't go as planned... have a few good backup activities or games ready for 'those' days...

after work, have some social activities but don't book your entire week solid... a couple days to hang around being a bum is a great way to relieve stress and make you actually want to be busy again... have a beer and watch some comedy or sports, call your family, play some video games, or do nothing at all...

[Justin Hale]

I recommend a combination of drink, hit the gym and what Dome Vans said above about time. I get up at 6am, leave for (and walk 2 miles to) work at 7:45am, leaving plenty of time for plenty of coffee. Don't smoke though. Nicotine is the most killer yet totally substandard and inferior drug in the world. Scotch whiskey, Vinho do Porto and Armagnac are bastions of high culture, superb taste, depth, sophistication and the good life. If you're gonna get hooked on something, get hooked on heroin. Really, since I increased my alcohol consumption to most days as opposed to just weekends, my mood and spirit and toleration for Koreans is so much better.

The schedule of the transcendent �bermenschen

6:00am - 7:45am: get ready for work, do fun stuff, eat brecky, drink coffee

7:45am - 8:20am: walk to work

8:30am - 4:30pm: work

4:30pm - 5:00pm: walk home

5:15pm - 6:00pm: Gym. I burn 600 cals in 45 mins at least

6:00pm - 8pm: do some highly secretive work, earning myself a few notes

8:00pm - 10:00pm: fun stuff and shower

I try to make my head hit the pillow at 11:00pm

[NightSky]

stress is a pretty recent invention. at least, the stress we know is. try some good old-fashioned exertion--there's nothing like backbreaking labour to keep it all in perspective!