Blame it on hormones, meanies, or just having a bad day, emotions are sure to rear their ugly head when things aren’t going smoothly while at work. Add to that an environment where there are different personalities all working together for a common purpose, and the meshing of individuals can cause friction and perhaps, negative feelings. It can be easy to get caught up in your thoughts and feelings while on the job, but it is of most importance that you keep them in check.
As the saying goes, there’s no crying in baseball. And there’s no crying at work either. So I’ve compiled a list of tips that can teach you how to not get emotional at work. Bookmark and it and use when needed.
Don’t Take it Personal
When getting criticized at work, don’t take it personally. We all need to be able to take in constructive criticism, especially if it can help you learn and improve. When someone is critiquing you and pointing out a flaw, don’t let it get you down and don’t allow your feelings to interfere. Simply take in the suggestions and try to begin to apply them to your game plan. If it’s a suggestion you aren’t too keen on, get feedback from others and perhaps incorporate it anyway. If it doesn’t work out, it can be said that you were a team player.
Breathe and Relax
Before you overreact or say something that you may end up regretting later, go to your office or cubicle to separate yourself from your coworkers. Then breathe and relax and allow yourself a moment to compose yourself. Taking this short time out gives you an opportunity to get your bearings and get control of your feelings and your reactions. Oftentimes after you’ve done some breathing exercises (breathing in and out three times slowly), clarity will come to your aid and you can begin to process the event and allow it to not process you.
Take a Break
When a short time-out won’t do, then taking a break is best. You can actually remove yourself from the office environment and take a walk around the campus or building, or even go to your car. There, you can unload, cry if needed, or expel the thoughts and feelings that are holding you hostage.
Don’t Overthink
Whatever has you down, don’t allow it to control your thoughts. Overthinking is a definite mood killer and can affect the quality of your work. Trying to control things you cannot control doesn’t make the situation better. Give yourself the opportunity to cool off, decompress, and simply reset and refocus. Then press forward with a renewed mindset.
Leave it at Home
It isn’t always the workplace that can make us emotional. Sometimes, there are things going on in our personal lives that can make us emotive and a bit sensitive. In order to be productive and efficient at work, you have to learn to compartmentalize your home life from your work life. Don’t allow anything going on personally to overthrow your progress at work, and deal with these separate issues off the clock.
Personal Day
Before it gets too much for you to bear or control, you may want to take a step back and take a personal day. This can allow you to truly regroup while away from work. Personal days were created for just that—so you can personally take care of yourself.
If your issues or concerns are bigger than the tips given here, then my next suggestion is to take it up with your manager or HR, who can help you find common ground and a resolution (if it is a work and not personal matter). Remember when talking to your manager or boss to remain unemotional. Being dramatic and over the top can give the wrong signals. Save your feelings for after work hours.
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