“If stress burned calories, I’d be a supermodel,” goes a popular quote. Raise your hand if you can relate!
As a seafarer on board or a shore-based staff, you have a lot to handle. The demanding workload, language barriers, and cultural differences (to name a few) are inevitable. And sometimes, you might feel like there’s nothing you can do about stress.
The truth is we have a lot more control over stress than we might think. But the key is to treat stress management as a collective responsibility rather than an individual load.
Welfare of one, welfare of all
On board, where a high level of stress can bring a high level of safety hazards, stress management must be a team effort.
There must be a strong sense of community where everyone – especially leaders – cares to cultivate a safe and happy ship. After all, one person’s well-being has a ripple effect on others.
The shore staff and the company are equally important players in this effort. When you prioritise well-being, you also build a remarkable reputation and therefore attract and retain top-notch employees and crew.
From distress to de-stress
Below are some coping strategies to manage stress.
Read the Stress management brief in the SDLL to learn more about these strategies. Meanwhile, in this newsletter, we want to highlight the time management strategy.
Time pressure is a common stressor on board that can lead to rest hour violations and shortcuts in safety procedures.
One way you can handle it is by using the prioritisation technique to identify which tasks you need to focus on first based on importance and urgency.
But there is another tool that lets you have a ‘broader’ approach – one that involves all input from everyone at all times.
Work structure and risk management
A proper work structure helps crew members avoid unnecessary stress associated with time constraints. It ensures that tasks are planned and implemented with a clear picture of who does what and when and where to avoid confusion.
The three-phase risk management is a powerful tool for this. Its efficiency lies in involving everyone, all the time (before, during, and after every job). It creates a collaborative environment where all – regardless of rank – are included in the planning, reviewing, and using the lessons learned.
The only things we can improve are the things we talk about.
One of the improvement areas that we saw in the previous annual Safety Delta reports was the crew’s experience of time pressure on the job. What’s interesting is that, after it was pointed out in the reports, we saw an improvement in the latest reports.
This only proves that if you talk about the problems, you can and you will find solutions.
Other fun stress management techniques
🔶 Laughter yoga
Want to try out an unusual – but surely fun – exercise with your colleagues?
Check out this short video where Liliana DeLeo teaches laughter yoga in a very energetic and fun way! We think you’ll enjoy the “brain wash” and “mental floss” exercises. 😉
TRIVIA:
There’s a saying in laughter yoga – “Fake it till you make it.” But whether laughter is real or fake, it doesn’t matter because our body makes no distinction! We experience the benefits either way.
🔶 Cultural stress management exercises
Do you have colleagues from other cultures?
Bond with them by exploring their local stress management practices, such as Chinese tai chi, Indian yoga, or anything that you can incorporate into your daily routines.
Crew spotlight
Shout-out to TORM New Zealand and TORM Signe for implementing stress-relieving activities on board such as tournaments, parties, and celebrations. Read more about their #SafetyDeltaMoments here (TORM New Zealand) and here (TORM Signe).
Client anniversary
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Among Us is a monthly digital newsletter, primarily for Safety Delta members, but also for those who want to get a ‘sneak peek’ at the experiences gained by those of us who are already ‘insiders’. It also presents the developments of Safety Delta.
