Give every person their distance
Being friends does not mean you have to stick close to each other. What do you do with people who invade?
Don’t assume that someone might be okay with getting their personal space invaded. There are many variables to take into consideration and, according to psychology professionals, this changes not only from gender and culture, but also from your social life and professional life. According to Dr Roghy McCarthy, a psychologist and a British expatriate who has been living in Dubai for 18 years, these boundaries are something that most people need. McCarthy said: “Women are complaining because we need our space. We call this our ‘critical distance’. We need around one meter to feel comfortable.”
With friends this space is equally important. McCarthy said: “Being friends doesn’t mean you need to stick to together.”
To cope with people getting into your critical distance, it’s a matter of accepting the situations we are in. “We have to get used to desensitisation and accept that things won’t always go our way. It’s part of being human.”
According to UKbased Mahria Qayyum, a senior assistant in learning and development with a background in psychology, in the workplace people need to be considerate, especially in the multicultural UAE. Qayyum said: “Women [living in a conservative] culture inherently have to think about their level of interaction, their status, reputation and image.”
Men, on the other hand, are inherently more open. Qayyum said: “When they are interacting with another man, they know to keep a certain amount of space. In the UAE, especially, as people are coming from different cultures, many men will actively try to give women their distance.”
Dealing with people getting in your space in the workplace can be challenging. Qayyum said: “First decide whether it’s something you can accept, then you can proceed with methods of coping. You want to remain professional, not be rude.” Qayyum ultimately says that you should always voice your concerns because people don’t know how you feel.
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