1.Crisis management
November 21, 20193. Problem solving
November 21, 2019
Skills to Manage Stress
- Support
- Self-Care
- Breathing
- Sleep
- Exercise
- Relax and entertain
Case study
According to a survey carried by Prof. dr. Ilia Peev, Cap. I rank, over a quarter of sailors admit that they felt “hopeless, stressed, depressed or unhappy” for at least a few days during their work on a ship/ yacht. The study shows that the factors affecting the mental health of the crew are bad weather, fatigue and the great amount of work on the yacht, the dealing with difficult clients, the extraordinary control and pressure from the captain, the lack of space, the isolation from the family, the quality and quantity of on-board food for the crew.
Terrible weather conditions
This a true story of a young skipper – Mr. Ivanov, on his training sailing in the Greek islands. On the second day of the sailing the crew was supposed to get up at 4am and sail as far south as possible from Thasos. The crew got up, but the captain told them that the weather was bad and they slept for two more hours. At six o’clock this was the same situation. At eight, the yacht sailed. Mr. Ivanov was not worried because he thought the bad weather and the strong wind had gone by night. And there was no wind in the port. But the moment the crew straightened the sails, he felt scared. Huge waves (4-5 meters, but they looked like mountains), a strong wind (6 on the Beaufort scale).
The other boys were serious, but they did not look worried or frightened. The captain ordered Mr. Ivanov to take the rudder. He squeezed his teeth and grabbed the rudder with both hands. Wind management is not an easy task. The waves were constantly throwing the boat, and the rudder dosn`t have a constant resistance. The direction may be lost for a fraction of a second, and if you lose the direction you lose the wind. If you lose the wind, you remain in the mercy of the waves. There was no rain, but on the second wave Mr. Ivanov was all wet but he didn`t care – he was fighting the rudder. An hour later he was replaced by one of the more experienced boys.
Within a few hours, the force of the wind reduced, and the yacht approached the port of Limnos Island. The crew tied up the yacht, dressed up with new dry clothes, and walked through the harbor to have dinner in a nice Greek tavern.
Mr. Ivanov was very stressed and afraid on his first sailing, but he learned that stress can be overcome when you can count on your colleagues, stay calm and think positively.
Lessons learned
Following we present some very helpful tips for dealing with stress.
- Surround yourself with positive energy
We all have something that motivates us, whether it’s a family photo or poster with our favourite quote. Surround yourself with things that make you feel good and keep your mood positive. Find out which are the images, sounds and colours that inspire you. Then decorate your working space them, or if not possible, keep them close to you so they could remind you of the really important things in life.
- Talk to colleagues
People are “social animals”. Even the most shy introverts feel good when they know they are not alone. Take the time to build a good relationship with your colleagues as this can help you get rid of stress at the workplace. Find a colleague who has similar interests and hobbies. Even if your only intersection point is the last movie of Angelina Jolie, it will be enough to talk about something that is not work-related. Remember that conversations can be therapeutic.
- Take your breaks
A Staples Business Advantage survey of 2015 found that 28% of employees are victims of occupational burnout because they never take breaks on a business day. The longer you work without a physical and mental pause, the lower the quality of your work. You will become easily irritable and you will start to feel uncomfortable. Instead, take a break for a few minutes each time you feel overwhelmed. Eat something to load the brain with energy or walk around to move the blood in the body. Whatever you do, it will surely be better than sitting in one place, overwhelmed by stress and anxiety.
- Just say no.
When we want to prove ourselves in the workplace, we easily catch the habit of saying yes, constantly. Whether it’s an extraordinary job or a colleague who needs help on a project, you want to show the others that you are hardworking and that you are ready to make extra efforts. No matter how much you are devoted to your work, the day has only 24 hours. If you accumulate too many responsibilities, you will begin to feel exhausted. Think about whether the additional tasks are worth it or they affect negatively your work, privacy, and even your common sense. If any of these things are at risk, you have the full right to say no.
- Find the good side of things.
When you have a tense day, or even a week, you can easily sink into self-pity and depression. Analyse your negative emotions and look for something positive that comes from the many problems. The important thing here is to find at least one positive feature to remind you that things are not that bad. Stress is a natural part of life, and in some cases it can also be a motivator to make you a better professional. Get rid of unnecessary workloads and achieve a better balance between privacy and work.
- Avoid gossips
You just got into kitchen to take a cup of coffee when a crew member suddenly pops up and says, “You will not believe what happened!” This is the beginning of an endless spiral of drama and gossip. Unfortunately, such scenes are common. Do not get involved in these stories. If a colleague tries to involve you in such a conversation, excuse yourself and say you have an important job.
Watch this relevant video!
Take the following short TEST!
Determine how much you agree with each of the following statements on a 0 to 3 scale
[ 0 = never 1 = sometimes 2 = often 3 = always ]
REFERENCES & FURTHER READING
https://www.crewseekers.net/notices/how-be-good-skipper/
https://www.superyachtcrewagency.com/blog/10-ways-to-relieve-stress-onboard-a-superyacht/15483
https://www.verywellmind.com/self-care-strategies-overall-stress-reduction-3144729
https://ladyzone.bg/article/zdrave/test-za-nivo-na-stresa.html
