I Got Stuck in the Bathroom at My Paris Business School — 5 Lessons Learned

How to handle a small crisis without turning it into a big one.

Last week, right before the class I teach, I got locked in the bathroom at a business school in Paris.

As in: I closed the door, used the restroom, and when I tried to open it… it was completely jammed. Mind you, this was after a very bad night’s sleep and Metro delays during my commute causing me to walk an extra 12 minutes in the pouring rain.

After two minutes of trying to pry it open — jiggling the lock everywhichway, pushing harder — I realized I was, in fact, stuck.

What followed was 20 minutes in a toilet room and a few life lessons.

1. Take a breath.

It’s stressful to realize you’re locked in a bathroom and no one can hear you very well.

So I stopped. Paused. Breathed slowly.

This applies to just about anything. Stop. Breathe through your nose. Let your parasympathetic nervous system do its job. Panic never helped anymore.

2. Imagine the worst case.

What is the worst that can happen?

In this case: I’m stuck for an hour and twenty minutes, classes let out, and eventually someone hears me. At very least, if I need to use the bathroom, it is right there!

In life, the worst case is often: someone doesn’t like your idea, you feel rejected, you waste a morning, etc, etc.

Indeed, life has real losses — money, love, health. But most daily stressors are low stakes.

3. Ask for help.

After banging on the door for about 20 minutes, a woman finally heard me.

I was embarrassed. I imagined everyone thinking, She doesn’t know how to open a door?

Instead, I said — politely and firmly, in French —“The door is jammed. Please get someone from the school to help. And please tell the students in classroom 201 that I’m locked in the bathroom.”

It felt ridiculous to ask someone to inform 20-year-olds that their professor was stuck in a toilet room. But it beat the alternative — them thinking I didn’t show up.

Humility always beats ego.

4. Re-prioritize.

Class was cut about 30 minutes short, so I adjusted.

We skipped one section and went straight to the core concept with ample time for the group project. The students were flexible. Frankly, they seemed delighted to start the group project.

Then I turned my attention to the rest of my day: client needs, emails, the next project.

It was a bad morning. Not a bad day. Not a bad week. And certainly not a bad life.

We dust off our shoulders and keep playing.

5. Tell someone.

It’s okay to tell a friend about a rough moment.

No ranting. No raving. Just, “Wow. What a morning. The Metro was delayed, I walked 12 extra minutes in the rain, and then I got stuck in a bathroom.”

Freud (I think it was Freud) called this “abreaction” — releasing tension by putting it into words. Call it what you want. It works.

We all have rough mornings, awkward meetings, and jammed doors.

Pause. Breathe. Ask for help. Re-prioritize. Tell a friend.

And...bring your phone to the bathroom. 😉