It was already 2 am in the morning. My 2 friends and I were still sitting in front of computers to finish up our project for the meeting tomorrow. We have ordered McD, while one of my friend took a sip from his third cup of coffee. This was our third day to stay overnight for the sake of revision requested by clients. One of my friend even chose not to sleep just because she was afraid she would not wake up in time.
It was just a common day, keeping up with a very busy life cycle in an architecture studio at Jakarta. Discussion over discussion, several cups of coffee, and staying overnight are things I have to embrace as an architect. At that moment, I am working on 2-3 projects at the same time with different team members. My work space is a mess. Sketching papers and building models are piling up without I even realizing it. (Well, not only mine actually. The same thing does happen to others’ working space.)
Mentally and physically consuming yet challenging I would rather say. At some point, there were days when I lose track of the time. Not only while I am working in the office, but moving from one place to another is already time consuming. Living in a fast paced urban area could be nerve-wracking. It may also lead to insomnia and another health issues if I cannot control my own self while drowning in pressure.
It was hard at first, but I have to cope with this kind of situation. This is my choice anyway. I keep telling myself to find the balance in life. Going to some places, having a little chit chat with friends and slowing down a bit are important to keep me sane.
Thinking back about why I chose this kind of living, these works are what I enjoy the most at this point. I keep questioning myself when people outside my job said I am naive. But I am happy doing my job. Even if I spend a lot of time doing my work, I get more benefits than what I might loss. Beside value and experiences, I learn to develop my way of thinking, get the chance to meet people with different background and opinions, and I manage to handle my dream projects. I know how to manage my time, assignment, and mainly, myself. Some people just cannot understand that my job has been a big part of my life. And sometimes, it is okay to have different opinion about the best way to live a life.
I may be young. Yet I admit that I have no experience in building my own family. But, I am in the springtime of life and this is the moment to seek deeper and grow further. Dr. Michael Ginavese—a clinical psychiatrist—based on his statement in The Thrive Global said that positive stress is a thing. It is something one would find outside the comfort zone. Eustress help people stay motivated, work toward goals, and feel good about life. In the article, the expert said that eustress is all about personal interest. One can leverage existing strength by having an encouraging project. Eventhough, the struggle should be encountered!
I am not trying to glamourizing overwork. I do my portion of clean eating and exercising. Having a healthy lifestyle of course is important. What I have in mind is: perhaps it is what some people try to find out in an urban society. A crazy busy life style in a fast paced living world; not only to push oneself limit but also to step beyond boundaries.
References:
1. https://thriveglobal.com/stories/eustress-good-stress-tips/
2. https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/vert_fut/2015/06/150621_vert_fut_kerja_malam
3. Levine V, Robert. 1999. The pace life in 31 countries. California State University. JOURNAL OF CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY, Vol. 30 No. 2, March 1999
4. Paker, Kelsey N. 2015. Effects of Distress and Eustress on Changes in Fatigue from Waking to Working. Applied Psychology Health and Well-Being 7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Comments