How to manage your stress
Hello everyone! Let’s start this with a common question, How is your Job? Most of your answer is being a Chef is not an easy thing, very stressful in the kitchen, no rest….so on.
Ok let’s go back again. Why did you want to be a chef? It might be your passion, might be you have a creative hand to make creative dishes, it might be you like to work with food, might be you like to wear the chef coat…the reason might be anything. Then why are you suffering with the stress now?
Of course, a restaurant kitchen or a hotel kitchen is a very busy place every time. Always receiving orders, receiving customer complaints, pressure with staff, maybe with tight schedules, business volume, and multi-tasking, etc. so, you might me stress with these things. It is normal. But the problem is how we manage the stress or how to behave in that stressful time. The reaction for the stress is different from person to person.
Lets see what is this STRESS?
“Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous.”- medlineplus.gov
Most probably as a chef, your stress will start before you enter the kitchen. It means behind the kitchen door your stress will make pressure in your mind. Think why are you getting stress? The main reason is unchecked things or unprepared for the day. And other reasons are maybe a personal or relationship issue, maybe because of lack of staff, tight schedule and long shifts, or maybe because of a health issue. so what you will do in those situations?
Most common stress release methods are,
- Smoking
- Substance and alcohol abuse
- Gambling
- Overeating
These things may give relieve for a short time. But for long time, these things will create health, financial and emotional issues. So better to find a better and healthy way to relieve your stress. So how can chefs and cooks deal with the issues and stress to maintain a healthy life? Here are some useful tips to manage the stress or stressful times.
Be prepare for next day
After the shift, take some to be prepare for the next day. You can recheck from staff to kitchen goods. if you need them, then you can arrange it easily. And also, you can do pre pre-preparations as much as you can for next day menus.
Briefing
End of the day you can take a few minutes to brief the day with your staff. It will help to correct the mistakes that someone did during his or her shift. Also, this time can be used to appreciate your staff. Then you and your staff can start next day with new way.
Listen to the music while walking
Listening to Music is a best way to calm down the mind. It is a one of the best medicines to heal your pain and make you comfortable in anywhere. Walking also give a time to take breath in fresh air and release the stress. These both activities take you another level from your stress.
Dance, Gym or Sports
Dancing, Gym workout or doing a sport is best way to release the stress through the physical activity. It will help you to control your aggressive behaviors. Also it is good for your healthy life too. If you do it as a group activity, it will very enjoyable for you and will help to make a team bond with others.
Take a good shower
Taking a good shower also help you to relax your body. It doesn’t matter hot or cold water that you use for having shower. Most important thing is taking some time under the shower or in a water bath. That is also a therapy which can help to reduce body pain. And will give a relaxation to mind.
Start to Write
If you like to read and write, then it is also a best option to relieve stress. Nowadays most of the people starts to write blogs, social media pages and online journal too. So, you also can start to write about your experiences, about thoughts, about food and plating etc.
Spend time with…
You can have spent time with someone who can be with you anytime, with someone you can express you freely, someone who can have time to listen you, with someone can enjoy time with you. That person might be a member of your family, lover, relative or friend.
Sleep well
As a human everyone need a good sleeping time without any disturbance. Then only you can wake up easily and do your work. If you want you can turn on a relaxation music to calm down your mind or prepare for sleep. It is better to keep your phone away from you.
Meditation
Doing meditation according to your religion or doing yoga meditation or meditation trough music also the best way to relieve your stress in positive way.
If you have the practice to relieve your stress in a healthy way, then you can manage and handle any situation. let’s be strong enough to manage stress!!!
Chef Bhadri 