Boxed in

[Raggamuffin]

I find Im taking a lot of extended toilet breaks at work. Just to get away from the noise and the relentless buzz of the office.

I try and make sure they're not long enough to get complaints - but it seems like a behaviour I've done in every job.

Lunch breaks have to be spent outside, on a walk and away from people. Or in my car, in my own space.

I feel like I live in my own little world within the world - but at work I guess the bathroom cubicle is a safe space too.

Ed

 

[Mia]

Managed a similar thing when I worked in offices. Lunch was an escape outside, a walk, or in winter to a nearby skating rink that I could see from my office window. Few people went outside in the cold, I escaped and it was a relief no matter how stormy. Breaks from the phones, printers, people, was the washroom.

 

[Pats]

I also had a spot to retreat to at work. While working at the hospital, my first 5 years was in the main area, on 7th floor. I'd often step outside - a little nook area outside that led to a stairway. I transferred to another floor that was in a new building and we were on the first floor so we had a back door to the outside, which was very convenient. Winter - I always had my blanket to wrap up in. Once my boss was being happy and had this puppet in my face. I stepped back but she just got closer with that stupid puppet in my face. I have no idea what she was saying or what she was having the puppet saying - all I remember was darting out the back door.

 

[Progster]

I used to go to the bathroom to give myself a break, too. Or the library. There were still people there, but it was quiet.

 

[Thinx]

I did those survival strategies when I had to mix, I had quite an enjoyable job in libraries a while back, and shelving books was a good escape too. Latterly I could usually set my own diary and though it was full on, I could work alone in a suitable room usually, between meetings and one to one work with clients or colleagues. It's well worth doing what it takes to get enjoyable, interesting work, where you fit. Maybe training in a suitable area?

 

[Rabscuttle]

This is not really something I can recommend (and it probably wouldn't work in most places these days anyway), but years ago, I'd buy myself a little peace at work by taking advantage of the short breaks that were only offered to smokers. This was back before the big anti-tobacco backlash, but not by much; it still made you a social pariah. I figured that I could make use of that- a brandished pack of Kings (later a cigarette case) explained where I was going, the social scorn kept my co-workers from looking too closely, and, critically, they never got close enough to wonder how it was that I never reeked of smoke.

That was critical because Kings are bubble gum cigarettes. I wound up leaving the job before anyone found out, but I doubt it would've been pretty if they had.

 

[SusanLR]

I always liked eating in my van.
There were usually always some room or place I could be alone.
The bathroom was a good place to go for a panic attack or a good hyperventilating fit!