Overwhelm at work

I have been dealing with an issue for many years at work. I work in an open office environment with hundreds of people in an open space. Most days I can handle it ok, but there are times when I am very busy with my job and/or it is towards the end of my cycle where I can feel very overwhelmed socially by having to interact with so many people on a daily basis and I feel the extreme need to retreat. We are expected to be at our desks on the days we are in the office, so this makes me feel additional stress as I don’t feel that I can escape without causing suspicion and questioning from others on where I’ve been if I go into a conference room to get some alone time to regulate. I am very happy with my job and the people around me are nice, good people, so I am very frustrated that this feeling of social overwhelm keeps me from what I believe is a very good job situation. If I could work from home every day and go in when I chose, I feel like it would be the perfect solution but our company requires us to come in 3 days/week. I can feel my body going into a stress response just thinking about the situations where I’ve gotten overwhelmed. I believe this is the model I’m in:
C Working in open office
T I can’t do this.
F Overwhelmed
R Stay scared

 

Answer:

Yes, I think you’re right – the result you create keeps you in this same model, and you find evidence to support why and how you can’t work in an open office space. I’m curious about the other thoughts you have about this situation. Have you done a thought download? If not, give it a go. Take 5 minutes to write as many thoughts as you can about this situation down without judgment, without editing, and without stopping. This exercise gives your brain the space it needs to be seen and acknowledged without pressure to solve the problem just yet. Notice what comes up for you, and what happens with your emotions as you do and complete the thought download. What, if anything, opens up for or within you?

In times when you are in an activated state, it’s important to extend as much acceptance and compassion as you can back to yourself and find ways to create safety while you’re in this place. Have you watched the Creating Safety webinar in the Cycle Toolkit or the Somatics with Victoria Albina in the Bonuses yet? They will be so helpful for you at this stage!  Come back to us when you’re ready for more coaching with a part two to this submission.