Does anyone get shy or anxious going to the toilet at work? It’s just not the same as the comfort of your home.
Like most people, going back into the office has made the simple things like having an anxiety free wee pretty hard for us.
In a recent study, nearly 1/5 people said their most pressing back-to-office concern was going back to the toilet at work.
This is no surprise to Dr Jim Kantidakis, Founder and Director of the Gut Centre, who says a lot of people don’t feel comfortable going to the bathroom outside of their home space. In fact, some people find using a public loo so anxiety-inducing that they’d rather go home when the need arises.
Reducing the office loo taboo is why Dr Kantidakis and the team at Who Gives A Crap have butted heads (pardon the pun) to help us deal with our workplace bathroom anxiety by sharing some helpful tips:
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Bring your headphones
The sounds of the office bathroom can be incredibly intimidating, but you can create your own ambience with a nice playlist, meditation or even audiobook. Close your eyes, take a deep breath (ok, not that deep) and listen to soothing nature sounds. You’ll be moving and grooving in no time.
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Use the buddy system
Put your team bonding into turbo drive. After all, partnering up to potty is like the ultimate trust fall. Consider taking your office friendship to the next level. You already get coffee together, why not deal with the aftermath of coffee together?
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Lamaze
What is pooing if not a very mild form of childbirth? Get in touch with your breath. Sway, moan. Deep breath in, now out out out. This is one of the most natural parts of life. You got this.
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Invest in toilet shoes
If you really want to poo undercover, we suggest having a spare pair of shoes that you only wear in the bathroom. They’re your under-the-stall disguise to ensure no one knows those sinister smells came from you.
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Use your toilet paper sparingly
Nothing will give you away faster than the sound of the TP dispenser hanging on for dear life and you unravel and unravel and… You get it. It’ll also mean you’ll be less likely to clog the toilet. And let’s be honest, if you’re clogging the office toilet, you might as well just stay in there and fake a bout of amnesia.
So go on, give it a go and get back to poopin’ in comfort.
