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The Day I Just... Couldn't. Here's What I Found Out About Stress
There was one afternoon at the office when I just sat there
staring at my screen and nothing was happening.
Not because the computer was slow. It was me. My brain had
basically put up an "Out of Office" sign without telling me.
I had a deadline for an MSME product label, three pending
endorsements, a follow-up from a client I kept forgetting, and somewhere in the
middle of all that — I realized I hadn't eaten lunch yet and it was already 3
PM.
That's when it hit me: I was stressed. Not the dramatic kind
you see in movies. The quiet, creeping kind that just makes you slow, foggy,
and a little bit cranky. The kind where you're physically at your desk but
mentally you're somewhere out at sea.
I'm turning 40 this year. I walk 2 km home every day after
work. I look after my mom at home. I work a job I genuinely care about. All of
that is good — but "good" doesn't mean stress-free.
So I started paying attention to what actually helped. Not
what articles say should help. What actually worked for me.
Stress Isn't the Problem. Ignored Stress Is.
The first thing I had to accept: stress is normal. It shows
up when you care about something and feel like it's slipping. The real danger
is when you pretend it's not there and just keep pushing through.
I used to do that. "Kaya ra ton!." I can handle it.
Until I couldn't, and it showed up as headaches, bad sleep, and me being
unusually quiet even for an introvert.
What helped me was catching it early. Once I noticed the
signs — the foggy head, the skipped meals, the feeling that my to-do list was
chasing me — I knew it was time to do something before it got worse.
What I Actually Do When It Gets Heavy
I breathe. Literally.
I know it sounds too simple. But there's something about
stopping for 30 seconds, closing your eyes, and just breathing slowly that
resets something in your head. I don't do it in a yoga mat. I do it at my desk,
in the comfort room, or while waiting for a file to download. No one even
knows.
I break the list.
When everything feels urgent, nothing gets done. What I do
now is pick one thing — just one — and finish it completely before I look at
the rest. That feeling of actually completing something, even something small,
is enough to get momentum going again.
I eat. On time.
This sounds obvious but I used to skip meals during heavy
workdays without realizing it. Now I treat lunch like a meeting I can't cancel.
The brain runs on food. A stressed brain that's also hungry is a dangerous
combination.
I walk.
My 2 km walk home every day has become my decompression
time. No podcasts, no calls — just walking, breathing, watching the road, and
letting the day settle before I get home to my mom. By the time I reach our
front door, I'm a calmer version of myself.
I talk to someone.
Not always in a serious way. Sometimes I just need to tell
someone "grabe ngayon" and have them laugh with me. That's enough.
Carrying stress alone makes it feel three times heavier than it actually is.
I Pray.
This one I almost didn't write because I wasn't sure how to
say it without sounding like a homily.
But honestly? This helps the most.
There are days when the rosary is the only thing that slows
my brain down enough to breathe. Not because I finish it perfectly — holding the
beads, and handing over whatever's been weighing on me... something shifts.
And sometimes I don't even pray formally. I just go to
church during lunch or after work, find a quiet pew, and sit there. No agenda.
Just me and the silence and whatever's up there listening.
I'm not going to tell you what to believe. But if you
already have a faith — lean on it. Especially when the load gets heavy. That
quiet time with God is not wasted time. For me, it's often the most useful part
of the day.
I set limits — and I mean it.
I used to say yes to almost everything because I felt guilty
saying no. I'm still working on this, honestly. But I've learned that taking on
more than I can handle doesn't help anyone — not my clients, not my wife, not to my mom, and
definitely not me. Saying no sometimes is just being honest.
When It's More Than Just Tired
There's a difference between "busy and stressed"
and "I can't function anymore."
If you've been feeling low for weeks, losing interest in
things you used to enjoy, or having thoughts that scare you — that's not
something breathing exercises can fix on their own. That's the time to talk to
a professional. A doctor, a psychologist, or even a trusted person who can help
you find one.
Mental health is health. It's not weakness. Asking for help
is not embarrassing — it's smart.
Mavs' Final Thoughts
Stress will always be part of the job. Part of life. But it
doesn't have to run the show. For me, the combination that works is simple: eat
your lunch, drink water, finish one thing at a time, breathe — and pray. You
don't need a perfect routine. You just need to not carry it alone.
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