'5 things I learnt from undressing on my all-staff Teams meeting.'

It's well known that mistakes happen when you're tired, and I was exhausted. 

Like most of us, I have a lot going on. I run my own tour company, I work part-time for a major corporate company, I'm a solo mum of a 15-year-old daughter and I feel like I never stop.  

There was nothing much left in my tank when I got a phone call from my sister: Mum was in the hospital. The anxiety was overwhelming. I raced to see her and then hurried home to join an all-staff Teams meeting with my corporate job.

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It seems my brain short-circuited sometime before I started my computer.

I was a little late, so I quickly logged on, entered the meeting and checked I was on mute and my camera was off. Great. I could multitask. 

I started unbuttoning my dress. I didn't want to sit there in the clothes I'd worn to the hospital, and I was hot. I'd quickly get changed. 

My dress came off, and I stood in front of my computer in my bra and undies. Letting it all hang out as I cooled down and pondered what else I could work on while the meeting was going.

"EVIE FARRELL, TURN OFF YOUR CAMERA." 

A second brain short circuit.

What was going on? 

Oh, God. My camera was on.

I suddenly realised that around 200 people across the state had seen me join the meeting, then take off my clothes in a bizarre menopausal corporate striptease. 

I dropped to the floor, crouching out of sight. Then I snaked my arm up over my desk, pulled down the lid of my computer, and crawled away.

What had I done?

I'd just undressed in front of the whole company.

You know when people arrive late to a meeting and pop up on everyone's screens? Well, that was me and then I'd taken off my clothes.  Not the most career-enhancing entrance. 

What was I thinking? I guess I wasn't. I was just so exhausted and anxious I wasn't really aware of what I was doing. Like when you find your missing keys in the fridge or drive to your destination, then don't remember how you got there. 

I walked around the house trying to understand what had happened. It was a nightmare, but feeling sorry for myself wouldn't fix it.

So I put my clothes back on, rejoined the meeting (turning my camera off) and dropped an apology in the chat box.

Then I cried for a bit. 

If you know me, you know I am always unintentionally doing dumb things, but it's usually accidentally entertaining or even if it's bad, I can see the funny side, like the time I fell through the snow in Japan and had to be rescued, or when I put some boxes onto someone else's Council cleanup without removing my address, and the ranger came to my door and made me go and get them.

But this… I didn't know if I could recover. 

I had to try and fix it as best I could, so I emailed the CEO and apologised, explained and thanked him for being so quick to let me know. I then pinged my boss, and he called me right away and made me feel so much better as I cried down the phone. My CEO replied and told me not to worry and to let him know if I needed support.

I still felt deep shame and shock — but I live by the theory that sharing the shame makes it better. Keeping embarrassing things inside makes you go over and over and over, and turns to self-hate and negative feelings that become the shame that wakes you at 2am. I wasn't going to keep this inside and create a massive shame ball that would live with me forever. 

So I shared it on Facebook.

Image: Supplied.

I know there are corners of social media that are awful, but my lovely friends on social came to my rescue — they lifted me up and made me laugh. Some messaged me to check on me and others offered to call and chat or take me for a coffee if I needed it. My friend Philipa sent me a video of her laughing. My girlfriends texted me and others posted the funniest comments sharing other Teams disaster stories. Amongst hundreds of funny, supportive messages, these were some of my faves:

"Just tell them it was your GRWM (Get Ready With me)."

"You were just unwrapping yourself like a Christmas gift."

"It's that time of year — all the mums are doing stupid stuff." 

I'm not completely laughing about it yet, but I'm feeling okay.

Listen to the full episode of Mamamia Out Loud, here. Post continues below.

Here's what I learnt:

Look after yourself — take time out when you need it.

Listen to your body and your mind when you are feeling rundown, burnt out and operating in survival mode. Take time out, even if it's just for a day.

It's absolutely essential to work for a supportive company.

How a business treats its people is the most important factor you should look for in a job — not salary, not job title, but the care and support given to employees. I knew this company was very people-focused and models this from the top, and I experienced it after my blunder. If you're not working in a caring environment, please try and find one. It makes the world of difference.

Sharing helps.

I honestly feel sharing helps so much. An 'us' problem is so much easier to deal with than a 'me' problem. You don't have to share with the world like I did, but talking to close friends or family can help ease your shame and they will help you get back up again.

The drop is a very handy move you can use in many situations.

If, heaven forbid, this ever happens to you, DROP to the floor immediately. Don't scurry away in view. My daughter told me my drop was an "elite" move. You can apply it to many situations. Add it to your arsenal.

Always check that your camera is off.

Not that anyone should need to be reminded now.

And yes, the meeting was recorded. But only for corporate governance requirements, apparently. I'll park that fear.

Feature image: Supplied.