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6 ways highly sensitive introverts can preserve their inner peace in overstimulating work environments
Working in fast-paced and overstimulating work environments can be quite the challenge for highly sensitive people. Paired with introversion, the demanding nature of nine-to-five jobs may leave you depleted and unable to enjoy your downtime. In this blog post, you’ll find out how you can use your work environment to your advantage, and how you can tweak it so it meets your needs as a highly sensitive introvert.
#1 Come up with a daily action plan
Laying out your key tasks for the next day takes away the stress of having a million things to do, for the millionth time. At the end of the workday, pick out two to three projects you’ll focus on the next day. If your job is unpredictable, allow enough room for last-minute tasks that might overrule your schedule.
#2 Bulk meetings, or not at all
Some people prefer to “bulk” their work. Mondays are for meetings, Tuesdays are for creating, and so on. It might help you to get social interactions out of the way in one day, or maybe you need to do the complete opposite and spread them out throughout the week to avoid hitting a low point. Do whatever makes you feel most comfortable.
Want a little trick to make meetings shorter? Come prepared and set your expectations at the beginning of every meeting. For example, you could say: “In this thirty-minute meeting I’d like to go over X, Y and Z, and the ideal outcome of this meeting looks something like this: [insert ideal meeting outcome here].” And there you have it: to the point, polite, and you just saved yourself a handful of time and energy.
#3 Turn deadlines into lifelines
Set up realistic deadlines for yourself if you know you will be spending most of your time in meetings. Use those meetings to reevaluate the situation and throw yourself a lifeline by clearly communicating you need more time to finish a project gracefully. No boss or client will ever say no to you stating you want to perform better.
#4 Make room for daily moments of peace and quiet
Modern workplaces (and classrooms!) are designed for what Susan Cain, the author of ‘Quiet, The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking’ calls “the extrovert ideal”. Landscape offices encourage social interaction but are detrimental to our productivity. Things like slipping away into a silent booth at work or investing in a pair of noise-cancelling headphones might alleviate you. If this is not enough, consider asking your boss if you can work from home once or twice a week. In that case, make sure you don’t have little ones running around that require your attention.
#5 Figure out a reward system
Some people need more quiet and solo time than others, so if you really can’t work your way around certain circumstances that are simply part of the job, come up with a reward system. For everything you had to do that drained you of your energy, treat yourself to a rejuvenating activity. Sure, you can book yourself a massage, but sometimes a reward might simply translate to going for a walk by yourself during your lunch break, or listening to your favourite album on the way home.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Did I spend the biggest chunk of my time interacting with others, or was I in a sort of flow state where I enjoyed working by myself?
- Was I in a rush most of the day, or was I able to work peacefully?
- Was I required to be part of the noise, or did I find ways to escape it?
- Did I have a quick lunch or no lunch at all, or did I have time for a revitalising break?
- Was I continually switching back and forth between tasks, or did I have the time to concentrate on my main tasks?
- Did I absorb anyone’s negative emotions and stress, or was I able to put them to a stop?
If you’re reading this, chances are you mostly said ‘yes’ to the first part of these questions. Given that most of our work circumstances are beyond our control, it’s our job to find ways to make the best of our current situation by granting ourselves enough time to recharge.
#6 Do meaningful work
Maybe you work in an emergency room where overstimulation is the norm, but you love it since your work is so meaningful. Then by all means, keep doing what you do, but put a rigorous self-care routine into practice before and after every workday. Many HSP’s feel drained because they lack a sense of purpose in their professional lives. If this sounds like you, maybe it’s time to reconsider your career path. Do your research and look for a workplace where your strengths will be valued. Need a little refresher on the assets of highly sensitive people in the workplace?
- Your kindness and integrity make you diplomatic and will boost the team morale.
- Your rich inner life fosters critical thinking and creativity (yes, both can go hand in hand!).
- Your attention to detail and nuance lead to superb results.
- Your strong intuition keeps you on your toes, and allows you to anticipate problems.
We’d love to hear from you!
Are you a highly sensitive introvert struggling to get through the workday? How will you implement these six tips to preserve your inner peace? Send an email to [client email hidden] for a chance to be featured in our May 2022 edition!