Health Special: De-stress the Djokovic way

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic and wife then girlfriend Jelena Ristic play with a dolphin at the Atlantis Hotel Dubai while there for the 2011 Dubai Tennis Championships PicAFPThe Djokovic MantraAfter winning his third Wimbledon title last week the 28yearold tennis player suggested that every player should get married and have kids He reportedly said When I go back home Irsquom not a tennis player anymore Im a father and a husband Thats the balance that I think allows me to play this well Ever since I got married and became a father I havenrsquot lost many matches I won many tournaments I suggest every player should get married and have kidsThe working mumPayal KhandwalaFashion designerPayal Khandwala with her sixyearold daughter Mira in BhutanMy day On school mornings Im up at 730 am After packing my sixyearold daughter Mira off to school followed by an hour of workout or yoga I start work at my studio by 11 am Typically Im home by 7 pm in time for dinner with the family and bedtime stories On some days my daughter Mira comes by the studiostore and hangs around which is nice especially for her to see what I busy myself with all day I try and make it a point to not work on weekendsWhats the stress Not having enough time for myself and trying to juggle work and baby can be a bit exhausting Im not a natural multitasker but Im learning quickly Also Im not an early riser so I always feel like there is not enough time in the day to finish my todo list I dont work too far from home and mostly spend my travel time answering emails Sometimes the noise levels can be quite stressfulMy stress busters If I find a situation overwhelming I try to close my eyes count till 10 and take a deep breath Thats effective I also find doodling listening to music or learning to play the piano quite relaxing The biggest stress buster is my daughter She always puts things in perspective When I see her it reminds me to look at the world like a child does It keeps my life simple and helps me prioritiseDigital detox Once Im back home I disconnect from the phone my computer and work My evenings are spent exchanging stories sometimes well cook a meal together other times read or play boardgamesMy worklife balance I try to schedule my day well Also I dont discuss work at home I actually love spending time at home just as much as I love what I do at work so the balance comes easilyExpert speakHer life seems pretty balanced and I find her coping resourcesskills intact What is needed is some more me time in her schedule which will help her tremendously Getting up half an hour before her scheduled time will work wonders Along with yoga she can try meditation too Avoid working or sending emails while in the car if possible Put on soothing music while travelling to work and do send the emails during office timeThe head honchoRoopak Saluja Founder amp CEO The 120 Media CollectiveMy day Every 30 minutes of my day from Monday to Saturday is scheduled While I travel a lot both domestically and internationally on my average weekday in Mumbai I wake up at 630 am workout for two hours and then head to office After packing in backtoback meetings etc I try to get home in time for dinner with my kids Zen 6 and Kai 4 at least twice a week but I usually only make one Im almost always able to make it home in time to put them to bed Whats the stress In a highstress job like mine there are simply too many stress points to mention But I dont let it get to meMy stress busters My personal life is my stress buster No matter how stressful it gets at work and like any entrepreneur Ive been through immense amounts of it I come home and forget about it Once home I play with my boys We often wrestle and tickle each other My wife Tara Sharma and I watch a TV show with a glass of wine I also go for weekly Sunday evening massage followed by a couple of single malts Digital detox I dont switch off during the working week but Im not actively working either I just got back from a vacation to Northern Italy with my family where I disconnected for 10 whole days I turned off my notifications and didnt check mail even once The effects were immeasurableMy worklife balance I dont believe in worklife balance The scales are heavily tipped in favour of work and Im very comfortable with that though I do wish I could spend a bit more time with my boys As long as I can spend quality time with them during the weekend Im happy as Sunday is mostly chill time And through the year I take a few breaks of a few days eachExpert speakThough his life is stressful he has learnt the art of containment of things and priorities which help him live in the moment The best part of his profile is that he can disengage himself from work while he is at home His compartmentalisation skills are excellent A few small changes in his lifestyle like devoting some time to yoga or silent meditation maybe 30 minutes before he starts his day will help him in the longer runThe workathome scriptwriterJanaki Viswanathan Associate Screenplay Writer for televisionMy day On most weekdays I wake up at anytime between 8 and 10 am My work routine is nothing specific but since Im currently cowriting two shows I usually have two screenplays to write in a day along with incorporating the feedback The working hours could be between 610 hours scattered of course Twice a week I have meetings that last about two hours I live alone but usually I see my parents once in three weeks I have a work desk I dont write anywhere else in the house But the work desk is also where I sit to have my breakfast read and also watch movies late into the night sometimes Whats the stress The biggest stress is that I cant possibly make a timetable because anything could change anytime Theres no routine as such so plans made well in advance sometimes have to be cancelled if work comes up This inconsistency of timing does create a wee bit of stress within the personal sphereMy stress busters I do yoga thrice a week and on those days I find myself better equipped to deal with more work mentally and physically Sometimes I indulge in stresseating but mostly I feel better the minute I clean out my cupboard or wipe down my desk or laptop On a bad day I check if any of my favourite filmsTV shows are on air or I read the Sunday supplements If neither of these work I call a friend and vent it all outDigital detox I do try and head out every single day before or after work even if its for something as mundane as grocery shopping After spending a whole day at home one does get frustrated and wants to get out On days when I dont have big social plans I head out to the local coffee shop with a book to get out of my space at home and feel refreshedMy worklife balance I try not to bring in work related topics into my conversations with friends who arent from the field I try to make an effort though not nearly enough to keep in touch with family extended family and friendsExpert speakShe can incorporate some healthier lifestyle patterns like getting up a little early and heading for a therapeutic walk in a nearby garden Comfort eating or stress eating should be avoided as it will further exacerbate stress in her life Watching movies is a very good stress buster At the same time she can learn to implement deep breathing exercises when she has her bad days to give an oxygen pump to her brain For someone living alone venting out with her friends is the correct method to let out ones frustrations