The open plan office

Specialist CBT therapy for anxiety, OCD, depression and more in West London

Open plan work can feel lively, collaborative, distracting, tiring, social or isolating. The same environment may be manageable one day and overwhelming another. Noise, interruptions, heat, light, travel, workload, deadlines, health, sleep, anxiety, sensory needs, role expectations and relationships at work can all matter. A blog cannot determine why one person is struggling to concentrate or whether they have ADHD, anxiety, burnout, a medical problem or another concern. It is easy to treat an office set up as a personal test: if someone cannot focus, perhaps they are not trying hard enough. That conclusion may increase shame without explaining what is happening. Difficulty in a shared workspace is not proof of poor motivation, a diagnosis or a failure to cope. Assessment can explore the specific pattern, what changes it, what demands are present and what support already exists. Some people may want to discuss practical changes with a manager, occupational health, a union representative, a GP, a specialist service or another trusted source. Whether an adjustment is appropriate, available or reasonable depends on the individual workplace and circumstances. This article is not employment, occupational health, legal or medical advice and cannot tell someone what to disclose or request. CBT based therapy may be considered after assessment where clinically appropriate. It can offer a space to understand the links between thoughts, emotions, behaviour, attention, stress and environment. It is not a promise that therapy will make every office tolerable, secure an adjustment or replace advice from an employer, clinician or legal adviser. Where behavioural work is suitable, it is planned collaboratively with a qualified clinician. A blog is not a self directed instruction to force exposure to a difficult environment, stop using a coping aid, ignore health symptoms or test an employer’s response. The pace and purpose of any work should account for safety, health, capacity, workplace realities and the person’s goals. It may help to bring one recent workday to a conversation: what the environment was like, when focus changed, what happened in the body, what support was available and what felt hardest. These details are not a self diagnosis. They can help identify a next question rather than a fixed story about ability. For related information, see <a href="/cbt for neurodivergent people/">neurodiversity affirming support</a>, <a href="/therapy/burnout/">burnout support</a> and <a href="/guides/mental health disclosure at work/">the guide to mental health disclosure at work</a>. If distress includes crisis, thoughts of self harm or an inability to keep safe, urgent appropriate help is needed.