How to Deal With Being Irritable at Work
Between the stresses of deadlines, co-workers, bosses and clients, the workplace may easily foster feelings of irritability. Everyone is susceptible to these feelings, but where people differ is in how they deal with them. Giving in to irritability may cause you to act unprofessionally and develop a bad reputation at work -- lasting consequences for what may be little more than a momentary lapse in judgment. Dealing with your irritability in a healthy way improves your mood, your productivity and your relationships with your co-workers.
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Instructions
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Identify what, specifically, is upsetting you. Say, for example, you get off a bad sales call with a rude customer. You may act irritably toward the next person you talk to, even if that person is being friendly. You are allowed to be momentarily upset, but do not take it out on undeserving bystanders.
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Breathe. When people feel threatened or upset, it sparks a physiological reaction that may include forgetting to breathe. Close your eyes and take 10 deep, slow breaths to slow down your body's reactions to stress.
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Take a walk. While you may not have time to hit the gym to blow off some steam, taking a brisk walk for 10 to 15 minutes has been shown to improve your mood significantly. Step outside for a stroll around the block before you tackle any new problems.
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Introduce a little levity to the situation. Make a joke when dealing with a frustrating situation, or even take a break to watch a funny video. Remembering to smile and laugh keeps your stress level and irritability manageable.
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Determine concrete solutions to what is irritating you and choose one. For example, if you grow irritable every time your co-worker sends you an email chain letter, identify what you can do in response. If you choose to simply delete them as they come, accept and live with that choice. If you think it is ultimately less stressful to ask your co-worker to stop, do so, and you can go on with your work without that irritability resting on your shoulders.
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References
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