On September 16 (Saturday), HelperChoice invited Ms. Priya Agrawal, a professional and experienced counsellor from The Zubin Foundation to discuss dealing with daily stress and share efficient tips with foreign migrant domestic helpers on HelperChoice platform.
Here is the recap:
Stress is with everyone. It is present among our daily lives. When the demand is greater than our perceived ability to cope with it efficiently, it becomes the “stress”. However, not all the stress is bad. There are two types of stress – good stress and bad stress.
Good stress is short-term. It motivates us to work harder and increase our adaptation to difficulties in life. Moderate amount of stress can boost our memory and improve performance.
Bad stress is a prolonged and intense experience. It could be a “silent killer” and bring negative effects on our body, including hair loss, severe headache, migraine, digestion problems, allergies, and heart disease.
If domestic helpers are experiencing intense stress, they may not be able to concentrate or make decisions. Overstressed domestic helpers will suffer from memory problems, poor judgement, negative thinking and constant worrying.
Domestic helpers may feel anxious, irritable or depressed if their stress is over the limit. They may find it difficult relaxing themselves, but constantly feel overwhelmed and lonely.
Employers may observe that their domestic workers eat less or more than usual and their sleeping pattern may alter. Frequent mistakes at work may be spotted and the helpers may even pick up fights with their co-workers or employer.
Domestic helpers may have headaches, body pain, digestive problems and so forth. The stress will affect their nervous system and helpers may have increased heartbeat rate, tremors in hands, difficulty in breathing or excessive sweating.
Domestic helpers have to identify the source of stress in their lives – whether it is from the family, the work or relationships? Name it and make a list.
Domestic helpers may also write a stress diary, recording the date they feel stressed, what it is about, how frequently they feel stressed for this reason, how it affects their physical and emotional levels, how they react to this stress and what makes them feel relieved from this stress.
First, domestic helpers have to distance themselves from the source of stress. Take a break, however, it does NOT mean to avoid the stress or to hide themselves away.
Then, focus on the goals in life and remember the current challenging situation is only temporary and it will change from time to time.
Building a healthy routine may help shift your focus on something more relaxing from your stress. For example, go out for a walk and immerse yourself in nature. Listening to music or having a cup of hot tea may help enlighten your mood as well.
It is highly recommended that domestic helpers who suffer from over-stress should maintain 6-8 hours of sleep and 30 minutes of exercise daily. Healthy diet and peer support are also advised.
If the situation does not improve, we would suggest domestic helpers to seek professional help from counselling , psychotherapy or consultation with a doctor.
The Zubin Foundation provides free 1-on-1 counselling service, which is supported by qualified counsellors who speak English, Hindu and Urdu. Contact them on whatsapp: 9682 3100.
Click here for the full replay <<Dealing with Daily Stress>> webinar or follow HelperChoice FB Page.
HelperChoice | Direct Hire For Domestic Workers In Hong Kong | An Ethical Maid Agency
The Zubin Foundation aims to improve the lives of Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities by reducing suffering and providing opportunities through outreach work and driving systemic change. It also provides 1-on-1 counselling service to adults and children for free. More details on its website: https://www.zubinfoundation.org/
HelperChoice is a reputable maid agency that holds a valid license approved by the Labour Department Hong Kong. The agency offers an online platform for direct hiring of domestic helpers and facilitates visa processing services specifically for Filipino maids. With a vast network, HelperChoice has successfully served over 75,000 employers in Hong Kong and Singapore, providing access to a pool of more than 20,000 domestic worker profiles. The agency maintains collaborative partnerships with local NGOs, including Enrich Hong Kong, Help For Domestic Workers, and PathFinders, organizing workshops and webinars to support foreign migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.
Employers are required to renew the employment contract and visa for foreign domestic helpers every two years at the Immigration Department and the respective Consulate. If you need assistance with processing the contract and visa for a Filipino maid, you can reach out to the HelperChoice team via Whatsapp. Normally, the visa renewal takes around two weeks to complete. Most visa processing packages include a mandatory two-year insurance coverage for domestic workers. For more information, please contact us via Whatsapp.
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