Despite our best efforts and good intentions, it isn’t always rainbows and butterflies at work.
We have to deal with difficult bosses, difficult subordinates, and difficult peers on a constant basis. Often we want to be able to provide all of the help that is requested of us, but our plate becomes too full. Sometimes we may want to lose our temper and tell everyone what’s really on our mind, but we know that’s not an option for the sophisticated career woman.
So, when you are ready to lose it, what can you do to navigate challenges at work? Having survived some recent major work challenges myself, I can attest that the following tips will not only help you to survive, they will help you to positively thrive in the long run.
1. Kill them with kindness. Delivery is everything. It may be easy to let our frustrations come out in our tone, but it is important to stay cheerful and positive. People want to help people who are kind and patient, not angry and rushed.
2. Confide in a mentor. Someone has experienced the same challenges you are at some point in their career- guaranteed. Approach someone you trust at work, perhaps a mentor, and share how you are feeling. This is a great way to get some wise perspective and valuable advice.
3. Share it. If you find that you have bitten off more than you can chew, do not be afraid to ask for help. You are not admitting failure when you reach out for assistance, you actually prevent it by getting the work done on time rather than missing a deadline by being overextended.
4. Believe in yourself. It helps to remind yourself that you have been given your job for a reason. Someone higher up believes in you and trusts that you will be able to get the job done. You have earned your spot and are capable of learning anything new. You can do it, Ms. Career Girl! Read motivational books like The Motivation Manifesto and The Positive Thinking Secret, and make sure you put them to practice.
5. Take advantage of happy hour. Take some of the pressure off of and away from the office environment and invite your department out for appetizers or drinks at a local happy hour after work. Use this time to bond with them, and share some of your feelings about what you are experiencing. They will be able to provide a different opinion and you may be able to come up with some creative solutions, as a team.
6. Speak your truth. Nobody will understand how much you are doing if you don’t share it with them. When somebody asks for help, be sure they are aware that you have other projects you are responsible for and give them a realistic deadline of when they can expect you to finish by. This way, you are still offering to help but letting them know this isn’t the only thing you have going on.
If things get really bad, read this Forbes article on coping in a toxic environment.
And while we are on the subject of making it all work, do you want to some ideas on how to do it all and still find balance? Read this!
Do you have any tips to share on how to survive and thrive in the workplace? Tweet them to me @mscareergirl or @sncueto!