Remember cassette tapes. If you would play it on continuously, after a point it would just pause or play in fast forward making squeaky sounds. So you would have to take it out, insert a pencil in one of the holes and rewind it a bit and it would play smoothly again. 

Well, we all need this rewinding... rather UNWINDING from time to time. 

That's why we have weekday - weekend concept. 
That's why we have annual leaves. 
That's why travel and tourism exists.
That's why Netflix and Chill. 
That's why the whole F&B industry, because who doesn't need a drink and a friendly banter every once in a while. 
 
Call it breaking the monotony or clearing the clutter or rearranging your thoughts or a break... you need it. 
Whether is work, family, relationships... anything. 

If you are someone who takes too many breaks, you might think of taking a break from taking breaks and stick to some routine for a while. 

It only makes things better. 

Just stop for a bit, breathe... inhale... exhale. Stop thinking about what happened, what will happen and even what is happening right now. Take a moment from even being in the present, just stop. Silence, no noise, nothing.. Just shut up. 

And after a few moments, go back to the chaos. From where I see, it's the only way to deal with this clockwork-like life. We can't stop, so let's find some loopholes in the system and take a pause.  

Workplace Stress is Real

Lately I have been reading about depression due to work-stress and I am over-whelmed to see the volume of people on various forums and platforms expressing their suffering.

Sigh...

My personal life is great, I am happy and content with it but it's this other life that occupies most part of my active daily hours that is... causing damage.

I realise, for most us, it is not the work or the nature of it. It is the people we are working for and with. The bosses and colleagues who lack empathy and compassion. I wonder if they realise how they affect a person's life, how they turn an otherwise happy person into a miserable and hopeless being. Will they ever, for a moment, realise this? I don't think so...
And even if they do think someday, ohh... I shouldn't have said that or done that... it will be too late.

Late realisations rarely make a difference. 'Better late than never' is not always a good excuse to pardon yourself from your mistakes.

How to get out of this trap?
I need money to survive. I need a roof to live. I need food to eat. So, I need a job to pay me.
Even if I need less, I still need a little for every day. I cannot escape. I need to put up with the insensitivity of people. I need to toughen up. I need to go to work and do whatever it takes.

Sigh...

Things that help on certain lucky days:
- Being unproductive at work for 5-20 mins in a day in office. Because your productivity is never rewarded, just give your tired mind a break. For a little bit don't care for real.
- Call a friend after work and rant about your woes and the unfair things you put up with daily.
- Have a good dinner.
- Listen to music that elevates your spirits.
- Lose yourself in the warm arms of your beloved and just be there in that moment feeling fortunate to have true love in your life.
- Spend some time pursuing your hobby, even if for 15 mins... draw, paint, play music, go for a run, anything.

Well.. there still will be days when none of this would make you feel good, on such days, just breathe and let the time go by.

Sigh...

Moral of the story: Yes, money is evil. But people are the bigger evil. Compassion can really make a huge difference in the world. So be kind. And sometimes be blind... to those who aren't.