My work in the hospital is enriched by a multicultural environment and I have the good fortune of working with doctors and nurses who are practical, conscientious and all professionals in their chosen fields.   Believe me; since the hospital is an 894 bed multi facility, it seems that everywhere you go; you will bump into people in their white lab coats. Except for us in the Administrative departments, medical practitioners regularly wear their hospital uniforms as per the standard Hospital dress code.  The medical nursing scrubs have evolved into standard medical practice for sanitary and professional reasons.

Lately, the usual hospital scene  is livened up with innovative medical uniforms.   Indeed, if you feel good about yourself everything follows and somehow it affects your mood.   I was somehow intrigued of the sudden proliferation of new designs  and colors of scrub sets that I’ve been seeing around.  Yesterday, a lunch mate who happened to be an OR nurse showed up in her fashionable scrub suits  so I asked her to satisfy my curiosity.   Her scrub sets are noticeably eye catching  so other nurses who were seated behind us asked too where they can buy those stylish and flattering designs.   She then bragged of her another fashion find and told us  she ordered it from Blue Sky Scrubs and swore that it is the best place on where to buy medical scrubs or buy medical scrubs online.

My mind wandered far with the thought that I should be wearing too those fashionable medical uniforms only if  I did not shifted career.  I was a midwife by profession but opted to work as a secretary.

I was like a little child showing my husband 2 of my fingers with Band-aid because of paper cuts.   A thin piece of paper slices my skin as I was filing documents and believe me it was painful!  You might say I am over reacting but a loose paper is usually soft and sometimes as thin as a razor blade that it can cut through skin.   It was suprisingly painful, I dont know why maybe our fingers have a greater concentration of sensory receptors or the small cut is irritated by chemicals used on papers that is why there is continued pain.

Anyway, my officemate was quick to give me an alcohol swab to disinfect and a Band-aid to cover it.   That is why, it is important to have an emergency kit handy even in the office.

Our everday work in the office is full of hassles because of the demands of our work.   There are deadlines to meet and sometimes physicians under our care don’t seem to understand and care.  Stress in our office has become a way of life.   We are taking it positively because in some ways, it can motivate us to perform under  pressure and will make us productive.  However,  if we will allow yourself to get really pressured and constantly on the go ,rushing and running, our mind and body will definitely take it’s toll.

We all suffer from stress at times.  I guess that we should learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of stress and take steps to reduce its harmful effects. I have read an article about on how to relieve stress-inducing patterns and I know this is worth sharing.  Please read on:

1. Change your scenery. When stress sets in, place yourself in a different environment for five to ten minutes. If you’re reading at your desk, move to a bench outside. The new setting can arouse your senses and replace your stress with more pleasing stimuli.
2. Start exercising. Begin rhythmic exercises, such as jumping jacks or just roll your head in a relaxing circular motion. Physical activity can give you a feeling of control and work off your negative energy. Breathing slowly and deeply also helps prevent stress from overwhelming you.
3. Write it down. Start a journal where you can jot down some of your thoughts about what’s bothering you and help yourself put stress into perspective. The act of writing down your concerns helps you adopt an outlook of healthy detachment.
4. Keep a good sense of humor. Laugh at least once a day, preferably out loud, as often as you can. Studies show that chronic pain sufferers who belly laugh several times a day, complain less of their pain after a few weeks.
5. Stop everything. When you start feeling stressed, stop what you’re doing and spend just a few minutes breathing deeply.
6. Take a walk. Walking just five minutes with your mind focused on your stride and rhythmic breathing does wonders to clear your mind. Step outside, swing your arms back and forth and breathe deeply for an energy boost. Exercise is the number one preventative of stress.
7. Say no to what you don’t have time to do. Lowering the demands you put on yourself actually relieves stress. Sometimes saying no is necessary in taking care of yourself.
8. Take care of taxing tasks in the morning to get them out of the way. Usually in the morning when you are fresh and rested is the best time to take care of projects that require concentration. Look at large projects as a series of steps to complete one by one.
9. Devote three hours each week to you and you alone, and don’t let anyone steal that time away. Take up a hobby or pick up a book that you’ve always wanted to read.
10. Live for today. Don’t dwell in the past for worry about the future. Live in the moment.

 I trust that all these will work for me and you.

They say that a good secretary need to have a good filing system to be effective.  My first day in the office was spent reviewing all work that I had missed,  clearing my table of unnecessary papers, reading and deleting old mails in my computer and meeting my colleagues to keep me updated with work and latest happenings in the hospital.   I was overwhelmed with well-wishers who stopped by to welcome me, especially those staff under my section.  They were more than glad to see me.  Now, they are starting to bug me with their endless request- vacation leave, exit-reentry visa, etc.  

It’s good that I dealt with piles of file on my first day of work.  I am now dealing with day to day work as it comes.  No pending or backlogs.  I love my work!

I am now back to reality!  Life is not all pleasures. After 44 days of vacation, I found myself struggling to get up to prepare for work.  I am willing and excited but  my body clock is still adjusting to the different time zone.  So, somehow, I am having this laziness in me.

My officemates welcomed me no end, especially my colleague who absorbed all my day to day work.  On my table are piles of papers that I need to review and do as well.  I haven’t settled yet and they were endorsing back the work I had missed.  

That’s how it is!