My boss's constant criticism is making my eczema flare up.

Any tips for stress-related skin issues at work?

4 comments

4 Comments

Ugh, that's the worst, when stress literally gets under your skin. Keep a tiny tube of your go-to cream right in your desk drawer for quick touch-ups when you feel the itch start. Also, try the dumbest little breathing trick - when your boss starts up, just focus on taking three slow breaths under your mask or behind your computer. It stops the stress spiral before it hits your skin. Have you found any small ways to mentally reset after a rough meeting?

uma3091mo ago

Does zoning out for five minutes count as a mental reset?

price.ray1mo ago

Staring at a weird coffee stain on my desk for five solid minutes is my version of zoning out. I guess it works, @uma309, because I come back feeling a bit less fried, even if I just spent time thinking about nothing. My brain needs that blank space to stop the noise. Sometimes I worry it’s less of a reset and more just avoiding the next task, you know? Does zoning out actually help you feel ready to focus again, or does it just delay the inevitable?

blair_ward391mo ago

That "stress spiral" talk seems overblown. Sometimes skin just acts up, boss or no boss. Making it a whole mental thing just adds another task to your day.