Don't get any on you

You arrive to work either virtually or in person, ready to get on with it. You're refreshed after the weekend (maybe). But the moment you open your emails, check out the feed on whatever platform you use, or see someone on site, they want to share their shit. How overworked they are, some stupid process that makes everything harder, unreasonable demands by a crazy boss, no resources... And it's all probably true.

And it's okay for people to vent from time to time. But it would be best if you came away from that interaction without getting any on you. So how do you do that?

You don't want to appear completely uncaring about someone who is struggling. But you are not helping them by going down the rabbit hole with them.

Sometimes there is something simple you can do to help. Lovely, but set clear boundaries and let people know what you are comfortable doing or not comfortable with.

Sometimes people really need to solve the problem themselves to stay empowered, and by riding in on your white horse, you are doing them a disservice.

Maybe there are things you can do together to solve a bigger issue. Does it need to be now? Can we regroup at another time after I have had the chance to do some of the important parts of my work?

There are mental rituals you can try during your interaction. For example, imagine a glass wall between you and the other person so you can connect with them, but their emotions cannot pass through the glass to you. Having a mental image like this can be helpful for people who tend to take on other people's emotions.

Other things people have shared with me are (privately) shaking like a dog having a bath and imagining that conversation comes off them like water sprays. Whatever works for you.

We have limited time and energy at work to do the important stuff we need to do. But we also want to support others. So be compassionate, but it might not hurt to have some wet wipes on you incase you get any on you.

#doonethingdeep #management #productivity