Career Chat // Feeling overwhelmed at work // Friday 14 Oct. 12 pm AEDT

[Renstar]

Looking at strategies for coping with overwhelm ... I'm exploring mindfulness now as an option.

So how does it work?

 Mindfulness practice engages the person in becoming aware of the situation in the 'here and now' , that will result in reducing distorted thinking ... Which can cause overwhelm.

In practice that will result in you not concerning yourself with the situation that is overwhelming you ... the way you were thinking about that situation but becoming very focused on grounding yourself in the present moment .

 The present moment you're looking for is one in which you can experience calm.

if that's not immediately available then you go off ASAP  and find a calm place to be... maybe that means venturing out to a private office ... anything that puts you in a situation in which you are able to experience calm (toilet/stairwell... Outdoors)

 You then begin to deep breath and bring yourself back into the moment through grounding techniques (feel your feet in your shoes on the ground etc) and realising that whilst you're in that moment you're not having all of those distorted thoughts which can cause overwhelm.

additionally your nervous system is given time to repose ... Cortisol levels decrease and you can begin to calm down.

 Those are some of the techniques of mindfulness  ...

 The research has found that in fact mindfulness is an excellent coping strategy for overwhelm and distress with in the workplace. 

 In these forums  we sometimes discuss mindfulness as a coping strategy - wondering does anybody find use in mindfulness ?

 Is it something that is happening out there? 

[Former-Member]

@Kurra, Good idea, and how did I not think of this before!?!? Next time I get overwhelmed at work I'm going to walk out of the office and get a cup of tea and write out a list of what needs to be done. Thank you!

[Renstar]

@Former-Member I believe your comment was directed at me ... Not ... @Kurra

I'm not in any way suggesting you leave work at a critical moment  - but finding time to make space for you is completely doable.

unless one works in a mine? Or ?

here's some personal sharing ...

i recently lost my mother ... There were moments at work in which I was overwhelmed by both the work and my own feeling and I was on the verge (often) of tears. Going to a private place and practicing mindfulness was what enabled me to get through the day on many many occasions.

here I speak from experience and not in a trite way.

also your comment says feeling overwhelmed, getting out and making a list ... !! No that's not what was posted.

To restate ... in efforts to create a calm day you sit and create a plan ... Chunk down your tasks ... Not everyone does this automatically as evidenced by @BlueBay who mentioned it was her new way of coping ... 

 The intention is never to condescend

[Former-Member]

Hi @Renstar,

 @Kurra wrote:

"When I return to the workplace I make myself a cuppa then write a dot point list of what must be done. Once I've compiled this I resort the list according to priority. Obviously the top priority is what I turn to immediately and concentrate on completing the task. Once that's done I take a quick 5 mins break to give myself separation from the compled task before I start the second one"

I get overwhelmed as I cannot keep more than one train of thought/idea in my head at any one time. And I cannot remember things. And my work involves lost of little tasks that need to be completed urgently. My brain doesn't work very well these days and I really struggle.  I really liked Kurra's idea of walking out for a cup of tea and siting in a different, less-stressful environment, re-centering and writing out a task list of what needs to be done, so when I get back to work I can continue working as opposed to sitting there panicking and sitting there too stunned to work.

I have to confess I hate mindfulness. It makes me engage with voices/thoughts more and it makes me feel worse.  But I do respect that many people find it helpful. 

My problem isn't that I'm struggling with thoughts as such, it's more the cognitive effects of the illness if that makes sense......???

[Former-Member]

Oh, and I was being earnest. I didn't think you were being condescending at all.

[Renstar]

Overwhelm at work is today's topic ... It's difficult to discuss in a tailored way without a deeper understanding of each individual's history and MI ... Some information seems obvious to some and new to others.

as a forum leader I'm always conscious that everyone is at a different stage in their MI journey.

Those who have had MI for a long time have a lot to share ... We're appreciative of contributions which add to the conversation 

if you've got good ideas, we'd love to hear to from you!

if what you're reading isn't right then provide some constructive alternatives, we would love to hear that too! 

and sometimes there's little that can be done, we accept that as truth and work on supporting each other ... That's helpful as well...

So look forward to hearing from you if you can offer any of the above to the conversation 😊😊 @NikNik, @Former-Member, @Kurra, @Former-Member

[Kurra]

Sorry to hear about your loss @Renstar
It's a rough road to travel. Please accept my sincerest condolences.
Thinking of you 💕 🎶

[Renstar]

@Former-Member Thanks for clarifying 

[Former-Member]

Sorry @Renstar, I apologise that I must seem rude/antagonistic (which is understandable considering how immensely angry and antagonistic I am about my experiences with des), but I was being genuine, I just really liked @Kurra 's idea, that's all.

[Renstar]

Cheers @Kurra that's lovely.

I felt it important to show that it all adds up!!

... grief, stress, MI, disability issues, stigma, anxiety, depression ... you name it! It can all cause overwhelm at work!

Thanks to you for your great contribution today 😊