‘Usually the shop-floor staff of the company play football, the middle-level managers are more interested in tennis and the top management usually has a preference for golf.

FINDING: As you go up the corporate ladder, the balls reduce in size’ -Unknown

Give me back ten years of my life and without a blurry thought in me,  I’d tell you I’m going to give it my all to become a professional athlete or a musician. But, as it happens, it’s not going to be the case now. Now, I aspire that someday I can luxuriate in the sunset breeze at my beach house in Maldives, without a worry in the world.

Are you stressed out?

In this modern day world of cut-throat competition, it is almost inevitable that the majority of us would sooner or later end up becoming a part of the corporate bandwagon. Cons of it include long working hours, unhealthy eating habits and lack of sleep which often lead to depression and stress management issues.

Personally, I had a bitter tasting experience of what it would be like when I had a 12-hour routine during my engineering days. It was back then that I realised that one would have to deal with stress on a day to day basis and the sooner I find a way to combat it, the happier I’d be.

One of the best ways to conquer stress is to indulge in sport but often we are too tired and all we can think of is sleeping like a log. Sometimes, we carry home a bunch of work. In situations like these, the most unrivalled technique is to listen to music. It can ooze a lot of positive energy into you.

Hook on to music!

There are three different scenarios where its importance is foremost.

Scenario 1: The Journey:

The ant-like speeds with which our 200cc bikes or 1000cc cars travel through the polluted, traffic-clogged roads each day to work is possibly the worst way to start a day and yet it is the most common. Not only does one reach work in a negative frame of mind but this can lead to road rage as well. Sometimes, this lifestyle also demands a lot of travelling and in its hustle bustle we always crave to ‘settle down’. It can be overtly taxing on the mind. Avoid all this by diverting your mind to the tracks that you enjoy listening. The little extra buck spent on getting yourself a good set of speakers installed in the car or a pair of noise cancelling earphones will do you a world of good. You might just feel like you are back home already!

Scenario 2: Unreasonable Bosses:

I’m sure many of us have already experienced how an unreasonable boss at work or a rude H.O.D in college has a drastic effect on our mindset for the day. Sometimes, the way our day is going to unfold is defined by their mood. Also, one could be a victim of office politics with counterparts at the same level trying to stamp over you and take pseudo credit, many a time for work you have done. This leads to anger, disappointment and depression.

Also, there could be a situation in which you end up channelling out your anger on someone else. The best way to avoid all this is a dose of music at lunch/tea hours! Personally, the best feel good song ever has to be Bobby Mcferrin’s ‘Don’t worry be happy’! One must realize that money can’t buy life, but music can get you a part of it.

Scenario 3: The 8 pm Report:

It’s 8 pm, and in your mind you are done slogging for the day. You were headed out to the bar when your boss calls up and tells you to have ‘The Report’ ready by 9 am sharp the next day. You are literally kicking your self and are frustrated beyond explanation. Never mind, get back home, put on that AC/DC track and vent it out till you are calm enough to get back to the report with Clapton working his magic in the background! Nowadays, smart modern music devices can play music based on your mood. All one has to do is select the mood. Now, that is the height of convenience!

Take your mind off work!

On the other hand, HR managers could actually inculcate a protocol for piped music in offices as long as it doesn’t interfere with work. In fact, it is supposed to boost employee productivity. Apart from this, one can also take formal training and pick up an instrument to play. I am hopeful that readers of this article would be able to see music in a new light and gauge its true salience.In the end, I’d just like to say, “Corporate or not folks, always keep the music on!”

P.S.- For those of you who haven’t heard it, this is a link to the song-

Bobby Mcferrin- Don’t Worry be happy!