How Do You Handle Workplace Stress?

We all must cope with undesirable people, events and situations at work. Nance Pelgram in accounting chomps raw vegetables all day. Phillip Hightower wears the same pair of pants for weeks without washing them; you know this because of the blue chalk mark—perhaps from a game of pool—on his back pocket. Tom Daniels, an inept womanizer, thinks that insulting you is a way of flirting (um, not when it comes to your clothes).

There are times when we want to grab our coworkers by the collar, yank them into the stairwell and shake them until loose change spills from their pockets. But we can’t do that, as much as we’d like to. We’re office professionals, and we know the importance of knowing how to choose our battles. Sometimes it is best just to let things go. This article explains, “That doesn’t mean that every office annoyance is fixable, or even deserves attention. As hard as it is, sometimes we need to look past our co-workers quirks and find a way to move on.”

Looking the other way can be difficult and office professionals must develop techniques that will help them cope with infuriating colleagues. Managing anger at the workplace can be a tricky endeavor because you can’t get but so far away from coworkers unless you’re on lunch break. Breathing techniques accompanied by a sturdy stress ball can help you expel stress through the energy of your fingertips and exhales. Or get up and go for a walk.

If the situation escalates to the point where you might do or say something stupid, then reach out to your human resources department, your boss or other colleagues about how to handle the situation. Don’t let other people control how your feel and what you do, especially if those thoughts or actions could lead to your dismissal.

Photo courtesy of Melissa O’Donohue.