By Priya P. – Sometimes, work is work. It’s not always easy to stay calm, and there can be so many different sources of frustration in your professional life. There might be too many things to do at the same time. Some of your colleagues could be really irritating, or unhelpful. Your boss might be too hard on you, or too unaware of all the things you have to do. The possibilities of stress at work can be endless.

But sometimes, the most difficult thing is not finishing your work, or managing your colleagues, or dealing with your boss: it’s just staying calm. If you are not calm, if all of that stress, frustration, and anger comes up, then the rest of your work will suffer and your problems will get worse. And more importantly, staying calm just feels better than staying frustrated. Here’s a few things I do to stay calm at work, maybe they will be helpful for you as well.

Develop your communication skills

A lot of frustrating problems at work can be managed by communicating really well, both before and after the problem arises. By learning some simple communications skills, you can explain tasks more clearly and express your frustrations more directly and effectively. This prevents a lot of problems from arising and continuing. Then, if someone else still manages to mess up, you can manage the situation through the perfect choice of words. This can give you a real sense of control where previously there was only irritation.

Remember that everyone is trying

Did you know that the most popular online courses are almost all about developing business skills? Millions of people around the world are putting a lot of effort into improving their performance at work. Sure, some people aren’t really trying. But if you remember that most people really are giving it their all, then you will feel less frustrated and more inclined to give constructive and motivational advice when they mess up. This can really help your sense of calm and their productivity.

Frustration means wait

Feelings make us want to do things. We feel hungry, we think “eat”. We feel in love, we think “say I love you.” A lot of our feelings motivate positive behaviour, but did you know that frustration can make people want to do unwise things? Psychologically speaking, the best thing you can do when you feel frustrated is wait. Don’t take big actions, don’t make big speeches. Take some time, even just a few short breaths or a quick tea break. Let your emotions die down and then act. Almost always, this will make you calm down faster than if you continue acting while frustrated.

Have something to look forward to

Finally, if work is just too much stress to handle, make sure you have something nice to look forward to when you come home. Start a hobby, learn a new skill, find a great book; just have something great waiting for you at home so that if you ever get really stressed at work you can say to yourself “in just a few hours, I’ll be doing what I really enjoy.” I find that really helps.

If these tips seem helpful, do share the post with others. You never know whose life you may have just improved.

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