Sensitivity

[lettripp]

Every once in a while I go through days where almost every person I interact with gets under my skin. I don't want to be around people, I don't want to receive feedback from people, and I certainly don't want their criticism. I want everyone to be productive, sensitive and useful. Well, today I'm asking for some feedback:


How do you relax when you are feeling overly-sensitive to the behaviors of those around you?

[Disney Hungarian]

I like to just find some "alone" time. I will go for a ride on the motorcycle or take a hot bubble bath or anything I can do to just think quietly.

[buzznwoodysmom]

I try to workout daily. I do not love to workout, and I often feel I'm forcing myself to do it. However, when I'm just completey annoyed with people I find the most relaxing thing is to exercise, specifically walk, jog, or bike and be alone with my thoughts.

[BrerGnat]

Are you in a situation where you have to be around people and you can't "withdraw" when you're feeling this way? Like, are you talking about work, or just the everyday type of people interactions?

If you can, pop in some earplugs and listen to music while you work. Zone out, and it will give others the message that you don't want to be disturbed.

I like going for walks as well. If this is a work problem, can you take a short break a couple times a day (like 15 min) to just go out and get some fresh air. Even if you can go sit in your car and listen to some music, it might help you sort of decompress.

I know what you mean. I am the same way. Call me anti-social if you want, but there are just some days that even my own kids just drive me up the wall! We all go through that.

[MNNHFLTX]

I like going for walks as well. If this is a work problem, can you take a short break a couple times a day (like 15 min) to just go out and get some fresh air.Walks are a wonderful way for me to cope with stress too. At work, when I'm feeling irritated and antsy, the hospital has an outdoor walking circuit that I can take a round on.

It sounds like you might be talking about work too and in that case your options may be limited for tuning others out. I would just say to take some deep breaths to relax all the muscles that you are undoubtedly clenching. And at the end of the day, go home and find a quiet (alone) spot to veg out for an hour. Hopefully it will rejuvenate you.

[Janmac]

My sister and I were having this discussion a couple weeks ago. She also wants everyone to be productive and useful, if, maybe, not sensitive. Maybe she needs people to at least answer e-mails! One of her major pet peeves is how few people actually do the job for which they are getting paid. And her job, materials coordinator in the surgical dept. of a hospital, requires input from many different sorts of people.

She doesn't like being irritated most of the time. She was looking for ways not to get irritated in the first place and asked for help. We discussed some yoga type things to do at/beside her desk to relieve some of the irritation.

We also discussed a "reaction basket" (because she has a basket on her desk that she likes - it could be any container) that she was going to put some slips of paper in, like chinese fortunes from cookies, and when she finds herself doing :mad: she'll reach for a paper from the reaction basket and do that instead. Some of the slips would be totally off the wall, irrelevant and unrelated - to help break out of the rut she feels she's in - and some would be reacting as she is, but maybe less so. Like making frowny faces, or saying [fewer] "bad" words (under her breath). We came up with some zany things to put on the slips of paper while thinking of letting things roll off, like water off a duck's back. She even took a squeaky rubber ducky with her, for one of her blowing off steam things.

She e-mailed me earlier this week saying she thought she was making some headway.

At the very least, don't feel alone. I think with the economy the way it is, fewer people are having to do more with less and it's creating more and more frustration and irritation. Probably a good subject for a self-help book; make someone lots of money! :D

Good luck!

Jan

[SBETigg]

This sounds harsh, but I think of my best friend, who passed away far too soon, just last year. She always told me life is short, that I was too hard on myself, and reminded me to just stop and live in the moment. When I'm about to be hard on myself, or too worried about things I can't control, I think of her. It reminds me that every moment we have is a gift and far too precious to let someone else make me crazy. It sounds mournful or cheesy maybe, but it really helps. Step back and remind yourself that this is your life, and every moment counts. Then you might feel differently about the people around you and how they impact you.

[lettripp]

Thank you all for your advice and for offering me better perspective... It definitely helped. My issues were all work related yesterday. I teach, so I had no chance to escape people but my concerns were not with my kids (I love my kids), they were with my fellow teachers... I consider many of them friends outside of work but when it comes to anything teaching related, I disagree on many levels with a few of them and it is difficult to separate the friendships from the work relationships.

My solution yesterday was to get in my car and sing as loudly and obnoxiously as I could until I got home. It helped... a lot... but is not exactly something I could do in the middle of the day in my classroom.

I am so lucky to have found Intercot and am grateful to know all of you!

[kemps@wdw]

Turn on my LIVE365 Mouse House radio to listen to music from all my fave attractions :music: and get on my Intercot site :surf: and get my daily Disney fix..HEY! Just like I'm doin right this very minute! :D

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I really wish I had some advice for you. I was hoping to find a solution when I read this. I do the payroll and HR for my company-about 700 employees and there are days I could just lose my mind. It feels like everyone is pulling on me

When I have time, exercise does help. But working two jobs-full & part time, doesn't leave much time for working out either. I don't know who shrinks do it every day!

I like to read and that does help, at least until I stop reading!