People enjoy complaining. You won’t have to look far to discover that complaints and unfavorable discussions frequently outnumber encouraging or upbeat ones. You’ll notice that journalism and media outlets are overflowing with news stories that almost always have a somber tone, and social media is rife with the rants and tirades of people from all over the world. Even routine conversations with our friends, families, and acquaintances often focus on drama and topics we just want to rant about. People are drawn to these more negative conversations like moths to a flame for a variety of reasons.
Unfavorable coworkers
This also applies to the workplace. We can all probably recall a coworker who spends the entire day moaning about their job. We may have occasionally even participated in the rants (or are even a regular voice in the conversation). In that case, I wouldn’t blame you. We all engage in it. I completed it. It’s healing, cathartic, and calming to be able to rant about the things that bug us. It’s a way for us to be heard and to express ourselves. In other cases, it’s a way to blend in and form bonds with your coworkers. Being the perpetually upbeat, optimistic ray of sunshine in a workgroup where things are not quite so jolly can be a demanding task.
But as time has gone on, I’ve come to realize that the marginal advantages of having a good argument with coworkers are not worth the unavoidable negativity most employees tend to fall into when they either participate in or associate with these divisive conversations. Instead, the once upbeat and enthusiastic employee quickly changes into just another jaded and perpetually frustrated worker. The brain automatically starts to think negatively about work and is quick to see the bad or incorrect in everything.
These people become increasingly dissatisfied with their jobs. They despise the leadership and policies of their employer, and job performance frequently begins to suffer. Any advantages of the job or business are hidden behind a cloud of criticism. They start a difficult-to-escape downward spiral into this dark abyss.
The most worrisome risk factor is this downward spiral. Many people’s success in their professional lives has been hindered by their inability to see the positive aspects of things and to adopt an upbeat "glass half full" perspective. I’ve seen people join organizations with great potential for success and advancement only to succumb to the criticism of others.
The once bright-eyed and bushy-tailed professional is now barely able to make it to work each day and hopes they can just run the clock out for another paycheck at the end of the week. They were once ready to tackle anything (and capable of it, too!). It is sad to witness this transformation, and it occurs far too frequently.
Also Read:- Coworking Space Essentials: 8 Things You Must Follow to Keep Your Space Up and Running
How Can We Help?
I’ve been thinking a lot about all of this. How can someone remain above the toxicity that permeates the workplace so frequently? At work, you can’t exactly cut yourself off from everyone, and you also don’t want to be the one to walk in and tell everyone to calm down and stop being so negative. Debbie-Downers.
Even the most optimistic people occasionally find themselves joining in on the negativity because it can sometimes be therapeutic to let things out. The challenge is maintaining the fortitude to prevent yourself from falling too far into the negative black hole.
The solution ultimately consists of a routine of fortitude, optimistic thinking, and mindfulness, as well as a few useful suggestions that will assist along the way. Let’s look at it.
Practice Mindfulness
Although practicing mindfulness and positive thinking takes effort and repetition, the rewards of mastering these techniques are priceless.
You can catch yourself having a negative thought or beginning to get sucked into a negative conversation by practicing mindfulness. While negative thoughts cannot be prevented, we do have a choice in how we respond to them and what we do next. It’s crucial to limit how much negativity you let yourself put up with at work (and from others), keeping in mind that it’s unhealthy. Either we can make an effort to shift our thoughts back to a more optimistic frame of mind, or we can keep ruminating and being negative. We get to decide this.
Handle Negativitivity with Grace
Making the best of a bad coworker in coworking space or conversation will always depend on the specific circumstances. There are, however, a lot of misunderstandings about how to approach these unfavorable interactions with coworkers.
Avoidance or dismissal techniques (such as avoiding unfavorable coworkers or changing the subject) are frequently recommended as treatments, but I firmly believe that these measures do more harm than good. One of the quickest ways to become an outcast at work is to isolate yourself from your coworkers, and changing the subject when things start to get heated devalues other people’s legitimate feelings and emotions. By employing tactics like these, you run the risk of becoming the focus of people’s complaints and missing out on opportunities to advance your career.
Also Read- Coworking Spaces and the Stereotypes Around Them: Why is Coworking Better
Be the Change You Want to See’s Catalyst
Make a move! What are the remedies if the present circumstance makes you or others unhappy? Is there anything you can do to help those changes happen right away? If not, what other actions can you take to promote constructive change?
I’m not kidding around. It’s never simple to drive change, but if anything is ever going to improve, someone has to do it. Most people wait around for someone to wave a magic wand, and then suddenly everything is perfect, but that isn’t going to happen. Don’t sit around waiting; be the one to take action and bring about the change that will lead to a better tomorrow.
Find a New Job to Get Out of the Bad Environment
It might be time to start looking for your next job if all else fails. Even the most optimistic thinking and change-fostering efforts won’t be enough to counter the overwhelming negativity in some workplaces, which are black holes of negativity and toxicity.
I’m sure I’ve encountered situations where you arrive at work and your coworkers are whining and complaining nonstop from beginning to end. This goes on for the duration of the week, the month, and the entire year. You don’t want to be a part of a culture that is literally built on negativity.
Conclusion
I frequently wish there was a better solution to the problem of unfavorable coworkers. a simple, magic fix that would improve everything and make everyone happier. Unfortunately, negative coworkers and work environments are prevalent in most businesses, and the most effective strategies to deal with them aren’t always the simplest to put into action.
To be a force for good and spread more positivity throughout your workplace, I do, however, hope that the techniques in this article will assist you in the workplace when confronted with unfavorable coworkers or work environments. It’s important to develop the ability to rise above negativity if you want to succeed in your career as well as your general health and well-being.
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