Work can be a frustrating place. Whether it is an annoying colleague, a project not running to plan, a poorly worded email that sends your blood pressure through the roof or someone who never stops gossiping. It can be easy to get angry, snap or react in an unprofessional way in the heat of the moment.
A survey of 2,000 office workers by Andrew Air Conditioning found that -
The top things that cause people to lose their temper are unreasonable colleagues followed by a big workload and making mistakes.
Other things which make workers angry are technology, smelly lunches, colleagues doing online shopping and dirty toilets.
On average workers lose their cool twice a week, but 59% believe their colleagues do so more frequently than them.
43% admitted to making rash decisions when losing their cool at work, with 11% walking out and one in ten writing a passive agressive email.
We all have a threshold and are sometimes unable to hold our tongue when presented with unreasonable behaviour or uneccesary challenges. It is how we handle these moments that defines us. The same survey also found that 69% wish there was a way to turn what they actually want to say into more professional language and 60% would like to lose their cool less frequently.
Whilst it may be easier said than done, try these simple strategies to keep your cool at work.
TAKE A BREAK
Sometimes it is beneficial to walk away, calm your nerves and take some time out. Indulge in a coffee, take a walk or have an unrelated conversation with a colleague to bring your stress levels down.
IS IT WORTH THE FIGHT ?
With tempers frayed, it can be easy to lose perspective. Ask yourself if the irritation you are feeling will rescind in the next few minutes, hours or days and if it is worth escalating the situation so that it becomes bigger than it needs to be. The answer is almost always a definitive no so remember that an outburst of frustration could spiral out of control and put your job or your reputation at risk.
BE THE BIGGER PERSON
Being the peace maker usually takes less energy than being the antagonist. Lead by example, try to diffuse and calm the situation and don't take things personally. If a colleague is letting off steam in a conversation or being rude in an email, take a pause, breathe deeply and give a considered response that won't fuel the fire.
GIVE YOURSELF TIME
If you truly feel that a situation won't resolve itself, schedule a meeting in a few days time that will allow emotions to abate so that you can have a reasonable and level-headed conversation that delivers a positive outcome.
