How to Handle Frustrations at Work?
Aurelie Litynski
Positive Work Culture - TEDx Speaker ?? - EQ - Positive Leadership - Workplace Well-being - Happiness at Work - Change Management
I think - you might know it by now ?? :
My goal is to boost feelings of happiness and positivity in the workplace.?
But the fact is, we can’t be happy (not at home or at work) all of the time.?
Frustrations do exist in the workplace. And sometimes, it’s even good for us to feel frustrated. It forces us to look at situations differently, to find better solutions. Our frustrations push us to take action and to innovate.?
But, let’s face it, we could all still do with reducing the amount of stress we feel at work.
And a lot of our frustrations would go away if everyone was a little more mindful of the effect their behaviors have on other people.?
Well, we’re not there … yet!?
But it might help you to know that:
?? When we acknowledge our difficult feelings, we get through them with less intensity.?
Saying our feelings out loud is a really powerful way to let go of our frustrations, fears and anxiety.?
Most of the time, when we give a voice to them, our negative feelings seem less overpowering.?
In this article, I want to introduce you to ways of vocalizing your frustrations and give you some tips on how to overcome them.?
Here’s what I do to calm myself down when I’m feeling frustrated:?
Usually, when I get frustrated, the first thing I need to do is vent:
?? I might call my best friend or vent at my very patient husband – poor him! ??
?? Or, I might go for a dynamic walk outside to get rid of all my negative energy.?
?? Or, I might even scream at the trees in the forest. My youngest daughter loves doing this with me. We always feel so much better after a good scream!?
???? Once I let it all out, I normally find I can think more rationally vs. leading with my emotions. My brain is ready to listen to advice and find solutions to my problems and frustrations.?
It’s really important to do something with your frustrations. Keeping them locked up inside won’t do anyone any good, least of all you.?
Remember: You can’t control your emotions. You can only control what you do with them.?
???? If I can’t change the thing that’s causing my frustrations – and let’s be realistic, not everything can be fixed – I change my focus instead. I work on developing skills that are going to make me more adaptable and resilient. And that’s exactly what I did when I found out that my TEDx talk was going to be recorded in the studio the day before and not live on stage.?
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?? Acceptance is sometimes the only way to manage and move on from a situation. Acceptance and self compassion.?
?? It’s so important for us to realize that we can’t be superheroes all of the time. It’s so important for us to accept that not everything can be perfect. It’s normal to struggle with things. We’re only human, after all.?
?? So, instead of beating yourself up about the things that didn’t go 100% to plan, I want you to treat yourself like you would an old friend. Be accepting, compassionate, and build yourself back up. Embracing your emotions, owning your stress and frustrations, is the first step towards coming up with a plan b!?
Sustainable habits for long lasting calmness:?
Form new habits to create a more positive mindset that will help you handle challenging situations with more confidence in the future, e.g.:?
?? Exercise – yoga is super relaxing, but sometimes even just going for a walk can help clear your head and see a situation in a new light.?
?? You time – center yourself with some deep, slow breaths and do something you enjoy! Take the time for yourself, even it's few minutes/day.
?? Going to bed early – switch off your devices before bed and aim to get 8 hours of shuteye every night.?
We all know about it but the tricky part is to apply it!
These habits are good for your brain function.
The more you practice them, the better you’ll become at handling your stress and dealing with your frustrations. And since even 5 minutes of focusing on your breathing can make a difference, it’s well worth making the time.?
?? Of course, there are many other ways to handle frustrations at work…
I’d love to hear from you! Let me know in the comments below, what are your top tips on how to handle your frustrations at work?
Written by Aurelie Litynski - Happitude at Work GmbH?
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2 年Great read, thanks for the insights on how you handle frustration at work. What I would add here is that it is very important to what extent the company in which I work deals with employee frustrations. Is there a possibility that I can talk to someone internally? Is my voice listened to or are my problems ignored? It's good to have personal ways to "soothe" yourself, but it's equally important to work in an environment where my problems and concerns are actively acknowledged and solutions are sought together.
The ideal morning read. Loved the part about ‘doing something with your frustrations’ Reminds me what Steve Peters said in the Chimp Paradox about exercising your chimp