Work trip tips for introverts

[miss direct]

I'm going to list all the things I want to try at the hotel:

Canoeing
Pedalo
Yoga
Gymnastics (maybe)
Bowling
Darts
the Asian A la carte restaurant (I'm sure I can persuade a few colleagues to come - do these normally cost extra?)
A cocktail at the beach bar (this says summer season only - I hope May counts as summer)
Turkish bath and sauna
Go to the gym
Trial dive

Long walk along the beach
Escape into the city centre one afternoon/evening and explore the old town

I feel a bit better about it now!

 

[Reiabuzz]

Tbh it does sound pretty fucking nice. What are ya whinging about!

 

[lazythursday]

This would drive me completely insane. I have done similar in the past when I was younger, and think I coped by getting very very drunk. I don't drink now so would probably just disappear somewhere. Every hotel has some kind of quiet area you can be anonymous.

It's hard to explain to most people why this kind of thing is so exhausting. I've just spent loads of money at a hotel this week because my dad is in hospital but I can't cope with staying with relatives who are really full on. Need space. Can't even stand my partner in the same space for more than about 3 days.

 

[Chilli.s]

Share a room with workmates? Sounds dreadful not surprised you're apprehensive. But chances are it'll be all ok and even quite a good time.

 

[Chilli.s]

Make sure you get your (employers) moneys worth.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

It's hard to explain to most people why this kind of thing is so exhausting.

I just say that I find it stressful when I'm expected to be sociable. People probably think its weird but they drop the subject. Extroverts are the odd ones.

 

[lazythursday]

I just say that I find it stressful when I'm expected to be sociable. People probably think its weird but they drop the subject. Extroverts are the odd ones.

I don't always find socialising stressful - depends on the circumstances - but I have a time limit on it. If I'm forced to interact with people for hours I am so drained I might as well have run a marathon.

The wrong sort of socialising - too many people, arseholes, chaotic environments - can trigger extreme anxiety though.

 

[bellaozzydog]

I'm going to list all the things I want to try at the hotel:

Canoeing
Pedalo
Yoga
Gymnastics (maybe)
Bowling
Darts
the Asian A la carte restaurant (I'm sure I can persuade a few colleagues to come - do these normally cost extra?)
A cocktail at the beach bar (this says summer season only - I hope May counts as summer)
Turkish bath and sauna
Go to the gym
Trial dive

Long walk along the beach
Escape into the city centre one afternoon/evening and explore the old town

I feel a bit better about it now!

Smash it all, your colleagues will all be hungover and nowhere in sight. Nothing better than doing fun stuff on someone else’s budget

 

[miss direct]

Smash it all, your colleagues will all be hungover and nowhere in sight. Nothing better than doing fun stuff on someone else’s budget

Absolutely

I've got one colleague coming who's a Muslim (ok, almost everyone is in Turkey, but she wears a headscarf and is actually serious about her religion) - she definitely won't be drinking and may be up for activities together.

 

[Ms T]

I like my work colleagues on the whole and we never have work jollies. It sounds alright to me. Where is it in Turkey?

 

[miss direct]

Antalya

 

[J Ed]

Next week it’s our annual work jolly. I work for a publishing company and every spring we take a few hundred teachers to a posh all inclusive hotel in a resort. In the day time there’s some seminars and the rest of the time is “Free”, but we are expected to mingle and socialise.

I’m dreading it. It’s from Thursday till Sunday and I have to share a room, am expected to eat all meals with others and basically just be around people all the time. I live on my own and like my own space. Just wondering if anyone has any advice to stop me from having a meltdown?

I’m already stressed and exhausted. Barely been at home in weeks due to work.

How much am I going to get away with sneaking off to be alone? Or perhaps I should hit the all inclusive bar to make me more willing to be sociable?

No advice but is your work looking for new recruits??

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Pull the fittest bloke/woman* and spend the whole time noisily shagging them.

*make sure they are a client, so you fulfil your brief.

 

[weltweit]

Hope your trip goes as well as it could.

Is it possible to be both and extrovert and an introvert? because in small groups I am quite extroverted but in some other situations my behaviour is very introverted?

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I'm going to list all the things I want to try at the hotel:

Canoeing
Pedalo
Yoga
Gymnastics (maybe)
Bowling
Darts
the Asian A la carte restaurant (I'm sure I can persuade a few colleagues to come - do these normally cost extra?)
A cocktail at the beach bar (this says summer season only - I hope May counts as summer)
Turkish bath and sauna
Go to the gym
Trial dive

Long walk along the beach
Escape into the city centre one afternoon/evening and explore the old town

I feel a bit better about it now!

It will be great! Ive never had to share a room on these things but I have been on such jollies in swanky hotels with lots of activities and despite being someone who also hates being with peolpe all the time, I've always had a good time.

Meal times can be very awkward (breakfast the hardest of all) but I've found that most people like the sound of their own voice and just love talking about work so you can just sit quietly and let them get on with it.

Get stuck in to the activities on offer and you'll have a laugh.

 

[miss direct]

No advice but is your work looking for new recruits??

Usually! You'd have to be mental to move to Turkey and earn Turkish lira though.

Pull the fittest bloke/woman* and spend the whole time noisily shagging them.
*make sure they are a client, so you fulfil your brief.

But I have to share a room! And I'm not pulling my female colleague. Even if I were looking, which I'm not as I have a partner, I am pretty sure there would be no-one eligible there. Well, apart from hot, unobtainable boss. (Who's married to a famous actress and has baby twins). Just before anyone says the inevitable...

 

[lazythursday]

Hope your trip goes as well as it could.

Is it possible to be both and extrovert and an introvert? because in small groups I am quite extroverted but in some other situations my behaviour is very introverted?

Introversion isn't the same thing as shyness. Preferring small groups / one on one situations is one of the markers of being an introvert so even though you are 'extroverted' in that situation it doesn't make you an extrovert. The main difference between the two tends to be needing time alone to recharge energy, and finding social situations fairly draining.

Though I guess like most personality traits it must be a spectrum.

 

[Supine]

I'm a sociable introvert. Happy in large groups but need to recharge my batteries with some alone time.

 

[weltweit]

Introversion isn't the same thing as shyness. Preferring small groups / one on one situations is one of the markers of being an introvert so even though you are 'extroverted' in that situation it doesn't make you an extrovert. The main difference between the two tends to be needing time alone to recharge energy, and finding social situations fairly draining.

I prefer small groups, and I enjoy time on my own so I guess I am probably an introvert. As to shyness, that is possibly something different indeed, I am probably not shy. I just find some social situations make me anxious.

Though I guess like most personality traits it must be a spectrum.

Indeed.

 

[A380]

Fake a bad case of diarrhoea. You can then slope of to the toilets to read three or four times an hour. You also have an excuse for going to bed early and starting late. No one wants to know the symptoms. Just over elaborate the first couple of times ( it was like weak gravy and just kept pouring out...) and no one will ask any supplementaries. Also you can sip coke pretending its medicinal and sneak vodka in it if you want.

Just eat at odd times when no ones about or get room service.

It’s a winner.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Just over elaborate the first couple of times ( it was like weak gravy and just kept pouring out...) and no one will ask any supplementaries.

The proper way to do is to loudly tell your colleagues over breakfast that you were shitting through the eye of a needle, and it stung like buggery. They definitely won't ask any further questions.

Have you stabbed any of your colleagues yet miss direct?

 

[Epona]

Introversion isn't the same thing as shyness. Preferring small groups / one on one situations is one of the markers of being an introvert so even though you are 'extroverted' in that situation it doesn't make you an extrovert. The main difference between the two tends to be needing time alone to recharge energy, and finding social situations fairly draining.

Though I guess like most personality traits it must be a spectrum.

That's quite a good description. I'm horrendously shy, crippled by social anxiety, and have trouble hearing/understanding conversation (especially if there is any background noise) - but on a good day when I'm with people I know and feel comfortable around, and if I'm not feeling too stressed, I can be relatively lively and outgoing.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

have trouble hearing/understanding conversation (especially if there is any background noise)

Me too. I stopped going to social events in noisy environments for this reason, and really struggle at events at work with a lot of background chatter. I'm unable to focus on conversations even right next to me.

 

[lazythursday]

Yes - another marker tends to be a dislike of chaotic environments, which would include lots of discordant noise / chatter. It's funny, I've realised relatively recently that I spent my whole life forcing myself to enjoy noisy bars / parties etc (usually with the help of plenty of booze) because I thought it was abnormal not to like that kind of thing, when actually perhaps I should just learn to be myself.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

It's funny, I've realised relatively recently that I spent my whole life forcing myself to enjoy noisy bars / parties etc (usually with the help of plenty of booze) because I thought it was abnormal not to like that kind of thing, when actually perhaps I should just learn to be myself.

That's me too. I suppose the driver for doing that in my twenties was wanting a shag, so I probably subconsciously accepted the trade off. Too old for that sort of nonsense now though - peace and quiet is the only way.

 

[miss direct]

Yes - another marker tends to be a dislike of chaotic environments, which would include lots of discordant noise / chatter. It's funny, I've realised relatively recently that I spent my whole life forcing myself to enjoy noisy bars / parties etc (usually with the help of plenty of booze) because I thought it was abnormal not to like that kind of thing, when actually perhaps I should just learn to be myself.

That describes me perfectly. I hate open plan offices - at the moment I work from home if I’m not travelling. When the boss said this was going to change and we all got assigned desks in the big office, I considered quitting. So much small talk and time wasting chat.

I used to like clubbing in my younger years but the idea of going in a nightclub now makes me feel strange.

Attending large conferences is also stressful but I put up with it as it’s part of my job and I also enjoy the workshops.

I also can’t concentrate on a conversation when there’s too much background noise.

It makes me feel better to know I’m not alone!

I leave for the trip tomorrow. Still don’t know who I’m sharing with.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

So much small talk and time wasting chat.

This is a bugbear of mine too - I'm amazed at the sheer quantity of pointless inane drivel people in open plan offices come out with. I tend to wear headphones when I have to be in the office (I've a white noise generator app on my phone), but work from home as often as possible.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

This is a bugbear of mine too - I'm amazed at the sheer quantity of pointless inane drivel people in open plan offices come out with. I tend to wear headphones when I have to be in the office (I've a white noise generator app on my phone), but work from home as often as possible.

Ditto - except for the working from home part, unfortunately

Total arse gravy spews forth for hour after hour from the mouths of those around me. Not all of them, but enough of them. I've had my work headset upgraded to a BTooth thing with Noise Cancelling too - makes me happy

 

[Boudicca]

I think, in your position, I might consider booking a budget hotel around the corner and escaping there sometimes.

 

[Epona]

I think, in your position, I might consider booking a budget hotel around the corner and escaping there sometimes.

Oh there was one of those across the road from the office I used to work in, we could see in through the windows, they did hourly rates. Sometimes there was escaping going on from manacles, ropes, handcuffs, (and mundane reality) there too.