How to Handle a Toxic Colleague and Improve Your Mental Health
How to handle a toxic colleague and improve your mental health? Stress from one persons life area can spill over into another. For instance, if your partner is snappy after work, you may guess their day didn’t go well. Anxiety related to incivility in the workplace is common, and hard days at the office increase stress at home and affect your mental health. Many find it hard to transition from work to home life. If work is making you feel resentful, frustrated, anxious, depressed etc, we tend to stay in that state.
Rude and unkind employees affect their colleague’s welfare at work. If you have to face them five days a week, their behavior may shape your emotional state.
Office bullies and other toxic colleagues can damage your well-being. Devote too much time to them, and you’ll experience disagreeable symptoms. Even if you can maintain a positive demeanor with your spouse and children after work, your distress will influence other social interactions.
A coworker that us toxic can create all sorts of havoc for those at the job place. This person could be the slacker and goes around adding additional work onto another. They are negative, rude, always talking about others and gossiping. They may be looking for opportunities to get ahead and throw others under the bus.
How To Handle A Toxic College And Improve Your Mental Health
You can’t change obnoxious people’s behaviors. But you can alter how you react to them and embrace self-care. If you avoid their dramas and are able to not personalize it then will start to become immune to their toxicity. We can’t change another so don’t try to. It will just leave you with feelings of frustration, anger and resentment. You will start to dread coming to work. Nobody should ever hold that much power over you.
Below are some ways to deal with toxic colleges.
Maintain distance
An obnoxious colleague may share an office with you, but you need not engage with them more than necessary. Stay quiet when conversations turn toxic. You’ll be less of a target if you keep a safe distance. There’s strength in silence. Toxic people won’t realize they vex you if you stay out of their discussions. Your self-assured exterior will puzzle them. They may try to hook you because they are so used to getting a reaction out of others. Stay in your own lane and choose to have a positive attitude.
Boost self-care
If you work with someone that is toxic, embrace self-care tactics to stave off negativity. Each morning when you wake, make a deliberate intention to be calm and confident with colleagues. A positive outlook will give you the right mindset to cope. You will be immune to their poison. Remember that this person in innately unhappy with themselves and it is not personal.
Also, avoid clutter and chaos adding to your stress by organizing your workstation. Ditch desk junk and create a comfortable, easy-to-use space away from your toxic colleague if possible. Surround yourself with those co workers that are positive, kind and supportive.
Frequent micro-meditations ease stress. So take mindfulness breaks often and focus on your breath. Let thoughts fade and follow your breathing for one to three minutes. You’ll discharge stress and stay calm under pressure. It will help you to come back to the present moment.
Also, tell the people you live with about the cause of your stress. Once they understand why you sometimes sound aggravated, they will know not to take your mood to heart. Remember to relax and unwind rather than vent and deepen dissatisfaction after a challenging day. Your loved ones deserve the best from you. This takes you being intentional and realizing they are not your colleagues.
Try having an honest conversation with this coworker
Be direct and use I statements. Let them know how their behavior is affecting you. Don’t expect them to wake up and get it. Many times this person isn’t even aware of the way they are affecting others. Remember to have compassion and seek to understand what they might be going through. Who knows you may have an affect on them. At the very least you are mirroring the way they are affecting others.
Toxic colleagues can ramp up an unpleasant office atmosphere, but they need not upset your home life. Use silence as your secret weapon if they are unapproachable. Also, cultivate your mental health with meditation and positivity to strengthen your emotional immunity.
Seek Therapy if you are finding that it is affecting your peace. At High Expectations we have a talented staff of therapist that are able to help you learn healthy strategies to maintain your sanity. Visit our website today and choose a therapist that best suites your personality. Call us at 407-967-1327 today.
