How to Stay Sane in a Toxic Workplace
Melody Wilding, LMSW
Author of MANAGING UP & TRUST YOURSELF | Award-Winning Executive Coach to Sensitive Strivers | LinkedIn Top Voice | Professor of Human Behavior | Keynote Speaker | HBR Contributor
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?? BONUS FREEBIE:?Download a free chapter of my best-selling book TRUST YOURSELF: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work. Get it now!
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It’s impossible to be effective and at peace in a toxic workplace.
Even if you work from home, the negativity of a toxic workplace can transcend physical walls. The drama, dysfunction, and poor communication can eventually affect everything from your personal life and health to your self-esteem.
Quitting immediately isn’t always an option, so here are a few tips to improve the situation while you devise an exit strategy.
Don't...
Let negativity win.
Avoid complaining to your partner or friends. Ruminating about your terrible job keeps you in a pessimistic mindset and prevents you from seeing solutions.
Participate in drama.
Move your desk away from destructive jerks. Get sympathetic colleagues on your side who can tip you off as to what meetings they’re in. Limit time with people who gossip.
Skimp on boundaries.
Take your full lunch break. Don’t answer emails after hours or work on the weekend. Use your PTO.
Fail to advocate for yourself.
Think creatively about shifting toxic elements of your job, for example, by delegating, changing supervisors, or switching teams. Find another internal ally who will go to bat for you if your boss isn’t supportive.
Hesitate to document.
Keep track of inappropriate or abusive behavior, so you can report it if need be.
Lose your sense of self.
Seek a sense of mastery, momentum, and enjoyment from another outlet, such as a side hustle or hobby.
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Do...
Use work as a testing ground.
Develop skills and competencies for future opportunities. Utilize free videos or online training if you can’t learn what you need to on the job.
Find support.
Build a circle of confidants within the office or externally through a professional association or peer community. You need trustworthy people in your corner who can provide a sanity check.
Create a positive workspace.
Surround yourself with images, quotes, and colors that relax you or bring you happiness.
Prepare your exit.
Focus your energy on your next steps and finding something better. Get your resume in order, reach out to recruiters, and reconnect with your network. Have three to six months of savings in the bank.
Manage your own self-talk.
Remind yourself that this situation is temporary and reframe how you perceive it. It’s not a crisis; it’s a challenge. Your boss isn’t intolerable; they’re just emotionally immature.
Remember your job doesn't define you.
Revisit your values and what you stand for outside of your job title.
?? BONUS FREEBIE:?Download a free chapter of my best-selling book TRUST YOURSELF: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work. Get it now!
???? Learn more about Melody's work here >>?https://melodywilding.com/
Graphic Designer/Print production
1 年In my opinion life is too short to forfeit your mental health for ANY job! I’ve been there, done that, etc. EVERYONE IS REPLACEABLE!!! DO stay positive, continue to work hard & be a team player. Some circumstances that leave you jobless will be beyond your control & you may not understand why, but learn from the experience! Not all employers are the same! If you find or have a good job with great management, “Super!” Hang onto it! Only time & personal experience will guide you!
Very valuable tips Melody Wilding, LMSW . Particularly “Seek a sense of mastery, momentum, and enjoyment from another outlet, such as a side hustle or hobby.” Our loyalties to our profession are higher than our jobs. We shouldn’t let toxic workplaces impact our professional caliber. Rezoomex helps #techprofessionals to seek out interesting side hustles. https://rezoomex.com/learningearning
Awesome message
Lead User Experience Researcher
1 年I like how you acknowledge that quitting isn't an option for everyone Melody Wilding, LMSW. When you are in your 20s and don't have any dependents or loans, we can move jobs easily. But it gets tougher as we start 'adulting'. Like your approach of making the best of a worst-case scenario and keeping it bearable while planning for the next steps.
Lawyer, Complex Claims Director, Casualty Claims Canada, AIG
1 年I would add, don’t stay in a toxic work environment thinking it will get better, or is temporary. It can go on for years and you may not realize how bad it was, until you get out. There are better options out there. Just make the move.