My Crazy Office | K Squared Enterprises

My Crazy Office is a weekly workplace podcast dedicated to helping listeners navigate their careers. Executive coach Kathi Elster and career therapist Katherine Crowley combine their expertise to solve both serious and silly situations at work. Join Kathi and Katherine as they answer real workplace questions with solid advice and a side of humor. Do you have someone or something at work that’s driving your crazy? Send your questions to info@mycrazyoffice.co. (All submissions kept confidential.)

30 seconds of gratitude

January 26, 2012

If you’re in a situation that is stressful or you work with someone who really bothers you, it’s easy to focus on what’s wrong, and difficult to remember what’s right. Gratitude can be a powerful weapon in the battle against emotional heartburn at work.

Not sappy gratitude for things you don’t really care about; Not imposed gratitude from someone else’s list (as in “you should be happy you have a job.”) What counts is True Gratitude for the people and things that you appreciate.

You know, that parking attendant who always greets you with a smile, or your favorite coffee bar. Maybe you’re grateful for an easy commute, or thankful for a favorite song that you hear playing.

Consciously practicing gratitude can alleviate all kinds of stress. Why? Because an attitude of gratitude puts you in the NOW. It allows you to pause and appreciate what is — instead of bemoaning what isn’t. And what we focus on does tend to build. Today, try just 30 seconds of gratitude. Just 30 seconds of appreciating what is good in your life. You’ll be glad you did.

Keeping your cool

January 25, 2012

If someone says or does something that upsets you, it can be challenging to keep your cool. These days, many people are working long hours, performing several jobs at once, and sleep deprived. It can be even more challenging to stay calm under such stressful conditions. This is where conscious breathing comes in.

Whenever a person who tends to ruffle your feathers approaches, take a moment to catch your breath. That’s right. Just take a few slow, deep breaths and land in your body. Focus on the air coming into your lungs and going out of your lungs. Feel your chest fill up and empty out.

Then, as that irritant opens his or her mouth, take another deep breath and smile. Whatever they say…DON’T REACT. Instead, take another deep breath and respond with a neutral statement like “Is that so?” “Interesting,” or “Hmmm.” Then, breathe again.

The more you breathe, and the less you jump to defend yourself, the better you’ll be at keeping your cool.

Self-promoters

January 24, 2012

Is there someone at work who is able to take credit for every little thing that happens? Is this person great at dropping the names of influential people; eager to announce his or her accomplishments in any public setting? Self-promoters can get under your skin and rattle your last nerve. Their overblown self-importance can really hook you.

Here’s something to consider. Is there something you can learn from this completely irritating person? Of course you don’t want to mimic their behavior, but could you adapt their ability to broadcast success?

You don’t have to become a sell-out or a braggart. You can share your accomplishments in a way that is consistent with who you are – send an email to your supervisor, prepare a positive report for a staff meeting, share the credit for a job well done with your entire team.

The point is to stop expecting your work to speak for itself while you quietly resent the people who happily advertise their wonderful selves. Take a lesson from your company’s shameless self-promoters. Find a way to showcase your accomplishments for others to see.

What’s happening RIGHT NOW?

January 20, 2012

Sometimes the best way to reduce stress at work is to stop for a moment and ground yourself in the present moment. Yes, you’ve got deadlines looming. Yes, your inbox is full of unread emails. Yes, there’s a client or coworker or boss who’s pressuring you. But what is happening RIGHT NOW?

Right now, you may be sitting at your desk or traveling to work or buying a cup of coffee. Right now, it’s 8 o’clock or 10 a.m. or 2 p.m.. Right now, you may be sitting or standing or walking somewhere. Right now, you can take a deep breath, look around you, feel your feet on the ground, and BE PRESENT.

RIGHT NOW – this is your point of power. Not racing forward with worry or looking backward with remorse; not rehearsing or rehashing conversations with people who aren’t in the room. Not obsessing about what you have or haven’t accomplished.

Breathe. Land in your body. Take in your surroundings. Notice what is right in front of you. Then see what you can do RIGHT NOW.

Do you unhook?

January 19, 2012

Unhooking is a system for changing your reaction to emotionally upsetting circumstances at work. It could be a difficult coworker, a demanding boss or an impossible client. To unhook, you have to stop waiting for the other person to change, and start taking back your power. The first step in unhooking is physical.

Unhook physically by taking actions to release the negative energy stored in your body from dealing with someone else’s bad behavior. Methods for unhooking physically include washing your face, taking a walk, playing sports, working out, doing yoga or simply breathing slowly and deeply. Try it today. If you feel your head throbbing, your neck aching, your stomach churning or your arms tingling, do something physical to unhook. You’ll be glad you did.