Strategies for not feeling trapped at work?

[Justmehere]

I have to work for a few weeks in a room without windows. I need advice how to cope with this. Rooms without windows are a little bit of a trigger.

I’m not asking for accommodations for a variety of complex reasons. I can switch locations, but that comes with new challenges. This location is best for me for other reasons.

I can take natural breaks from being in the room without windows to being in one with windows about 1 time an hour for 2-3 minutes. I also have regular breaks and lunch. I also plan to walk there and walk home, outside.

I’ve worked two full long days in the location, and did just fine. I was a little extra anxious, but hid it well by keeping busy, even when things were slow. My co-workers are great (but no, they will NOT be told I have PTSD) and the people I supervise are wonderful. It’s a great crew.

I’m getting some anticipatory anxiety though, because 2 days is one thing, several weeks is another. Also, this time of year is the time of year the worst happened in a room without windows.

I’ve ordered a bracelet that has on it “2018” I’m really cool slightly cryptic lettering, because that’s super grounding for me.

Any advice of anything else I can do? Outside of this, I’m super excited for this job. Just need to beef up my toolbox.

 

[Freida]

My office was a closet. Seriously - that's how short we were on space. I cleaned out a big walk in closet and made it my office. I felt like I was suffocating at first so I went to goodwill and got a painting of outside --- with flowers and a pond --and put it over my desk. It wasn't a window - but it gave me something to look at so I didn't feel so trapped and it was surprisingly effective

 

[Abstract]

Thats what I would do too if was able Also its something mine. Claiming space. Having air blowing in me can help me feel less stifled. Anything that helps me feel smell hear anything that denotes fresh which in my mind feels more open. Peppermint good for me. I do all those. Can help make the room where it is too and not somewhere else,

 

[bumbles]

I love string lights, they sell them tiny or big or different shapes, it helps me to brighten up a place a little bit.

 

[whiteraven]

I work in a basement. No windows, no air. Triggering as hell, so I understand.

I concur, it may help to make your space your own by adding pictures of trees or flowers/sunrises, sunsets. I have nature calendars, pictures of my cats, and stones on my desk. I use the stones for grounding; holding them really helps me.

I hope you are able to find some workable solutions among those offered here.

 

[blackemerald1]

Green, the colour. Use that colour where possible in your room - it's said to be good for mental health.

 

[Friday]

I whistle the Mission Impossible theme song.

Seriously.

There’s a bit of a long story attached to that involving a misspent youth, growing up on military bases, and the fact that security consultants never seem to take into mind a really determined 10yo when designing anything... but since my whistling seems to amuse people in elevators and endless corridors and cube farms of eye crossing awfulness almooooost as much as me? :sneaky: I figure the back story is fairly irrelevant. Some things may just be universal.

:whistling: Dahn ...dun dun ...dun ..da dun! Doooooobee dooooooooo...

Nothing is as miserable as it could be if I can turn it into a game.

 

[ms spock]

Plants
Photos of outside that you can imagine yourself in
Smells - peppermint, eucalyptus
Things in a draw to touch
Zen sand tray

 

[joeylittle]

Great suggestions on this thread. :tup:

 

[Freida]

o mind a really determined 10yo when designing anythin

I just got this visual of you as a little kid climbing thru the air ducts whistling that and the people in the rooms below losing their minds trying to figure out where it was coming from :laugh: