Keep your cool at work

By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer

Illustration by Jon Orque • The Honolulu Advertiser

She feels at peace. Content. Invigorated.

Then Dilbeck is suddenly jolted back to reality — thanks to the ringing telephone on her desk at work — where she finds herself back at her computer.

While the administrative coordinator loves her job, she confesses that there are times when she needs to take a "Zen moment" by fantasizing about better places to be than at the mortgage bank where she works.

"I'll imagine myself in Kailua, paddling with my team," said Dilbeck, 27, a canoe-club member.

Dilbeck is among countless working people who escape the pressures of their jobs by finding some type of diversion at work — be it stepping out of the office for a quick smoke, eating a piece of chocolate or day-dreaming about lounging on a beach somewhere sipping a margarita.

Northwestern National Life Insurance Co. surveys show 40 percent of workers reporting their jobs to be "very or extremely stressful," and 25 percent view their jobs as the No. 1 stressors in their lives, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports.

"I think there are so many variables in terms of what's going on at work," said Patricia Anderson, counselor for Straub Clinic and Hospital's Employee Assistance Program.

These stress variables can include everything from changes imposed in the workplace to uncertainty about the stability of the company, she said.

"I also think oftentimes there's less and less tolerance for the development of interpersonal relationships at work, meaning allowing 'water-cooler talk,' " Anderson said. "If you talk to most employees, they will say it's really important. ... [Yet] supervisors sometimes see that as a problem."

Whatever the reasons for job-related frustrations, hectic days at work are inevitable. And yes, for most, work is an absolute must.

But we've got help.

We asked workers of all sorts how they make working more fun — or at least make that seemingly endless shift a little more tolerable:

"One of our administrative support people is really creative, and she always makes games around turning in our time sheets. So, like, the first person who turns it in gets a candy bar. And then other times she'll put it on a time frame, so if you don't get it in by 2 o'clock, you're (labeled) a 'noodle,' and if you don't get it in by 3 o'clock, you're a 'pretzel' ... So that adds a lot of humor and just kind of lightens things up and gives people a five-second mental health break. That's very important."

"We have a golf-chipping thing (in the office), so we just chip balls. It's a little chipping area, maybe like 10 feet away and you just try to hit the ball into it. And we have a mini Nerf football. So if there's a couple of us, we just get up and there's like a big hallway area and we just throw the football there." — Ian Arakaki, 28, engineer consultant

"I deal with a lot of customers, so I just try to always have a positive attitude and a smile on my face. Even if I'm just pretending. Fortunately, my job doesn't get too stressful."

"At the end of the day, I make a list of things to do for the next day. I'm very list oriented, so by seeing (tasks) in front of me, I can sort of get a grasp on what's going to happen the next day and I can prepare myself. ... When you can cross things off, it's such a good feeling. "The other thing is, when I have my list, I try to take care of the things that I'm least interested in doing first, to get those out of the way. Then everything else seems like a piece of cake after that." — Jennifer Chong, 28, graphic designer and owner of Kinohi Designs

"The one thing that helps me when I'm really tired and I don't want to be (at work) is to think that I have a job here ... because you know after Sept. 11, how everybody got laid off? I just remind myself that I have a pretty good job, and to be grateful for that."

"We have Hula Hoops, so we have a Hula Hoop contest every once in a while. Like if it's getting to be a crazy day. ... Also, what I do is once a month, I have lunch for all the people who report to me, and we do some type of fun little thing, and what I'm getting ready for them is, I'm going to give them a piggy bank. So for every great thought they have, we're going to put quarters (in the bank), and that money is going to be used to buy candy or whatever they want." — Sonja Dilbeck

"I'm a nurse. I work at Kapi'olani in the ER and ... you don't really get a chance to get away from the ER because ... on a moment's notice, you could have somebody who's critically sick come in through the door. ... Unless it is your half-hour dinner break, at which point, for me, I like going to Jamba Juice. "I drive over to Ward on my moped and I take an order for everybody and come back with eight Jambas and kind of use that as a pick-me-up for everybody ... and sometimes I run down to the X-ray department and dig into their secret stash of chocolates." — Trevor Giesbrecht, 31, nurse

"Since we're a design firm, we like to play our music kinda loud, whether it be any type of opera, dance, techno or alternative music ... just to get into the groove." — Lowell Gillia, 37, owner of Design Asylum

"In our grade level, our classrooms are open, so sometimes I'll just go to the other teacher and talk to her about what's happening just to let out some tension. Or when we go to lunch, we talk about our morning and that really helps, talking to each other about the day ... and then we can ask each other for (advice) and suggestions." — Sheryl Hara, 34, kindergarten teacher

"I have a little purple ball that I keep at my desk that helps pass the time by tossing it around." — Kin Lo, 29, business development director of a technology company

"Thinking about how hard my great-grandparents, grandparents and parents have worked and struggled to make everything that I have possible, how can I complain? "I get to work with my family, and that makes my work bearable no matter how busy or how tired I get. I am so fortunate to be able to see my mom, dad and brother every day." — Robynne Migita, 28, works for her family's business

"Since we have weights at the station, (we do) a lot of working out. And a lot of practical jokes ... just putting something in somebody's locker so when they open it up, it startles them. Stupid stuff like that. It just gets the whole crew laughing, which is good." — Kevin Miller, 32, firefighter

"In my office area, I have children's artwork all over and that's because I do the educational programs (here). One of the programs is in the 'Imagination Station,' which is (where children do) art. Sometimes the children leave their artwork behind and I snatch it up and have it kind of plastered all over so it gives me inspiration." — Liane Yajima, 25, director of exhibits and programs at Children's Discovery Center

Reach Zenaida Serrano Espanol at zespanol@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8174.

More advice from Advertiser staffers:

• Develop camaraderie with colleagues by telling jokes, sharing food and doing other little things together. Having good relationships with co-workers can bring much joy to a job and make all the difference.
• Read the news about the tanking economy or think of friends who have been laid off and thank your lucky stars you are not forced to charge groceries to your credit card.
• Buy a new outfit that you can wear to the office to show off.
• If you can, tailor your own hours to suit your needs. If you're a morning person, start your workday at 7. If you like to sleep in, try starting at noon.
• Keep a Zen garden or stress ball at your desk to free your mind during downtime.
• Keep fun things around your desk that will make you smile: stuffed animals, drawings or a copy of the book "14,000 Things to be Happy About" (Workman Publishing Company). Also keep photos of memorable or special moments around. It will remind you of better times.
• Change your computer screen picture once a week, using photos of friends or funny pictures for a quick and constant pick-me-up.
• Stick motivational phrases or cartoons on your computer or around your work area.
• Don't give your boss your personal cell phone number. Keep work at work.
• Schedule at least one vacation day at home and do nothing. Make it a special retreat for yourself.