What To Do About Those Complainers In Your Office

Ugh nothing is worse than having to listen to that one co-worker complain, complain, complain and by the time they are through, your mood has turned from good to bleh. Inc.com article, “Listening to Complainers Is Bad for Your Brain”, provides some key strategies for dealing with complainers in a healthy way:

1. Get some distance: Avoidance will keep their negativity away from you!

2. Ask the complainer to fix the problem: If it’s that bad to complain about it, fix it!

3. Shields Up: Mentally remove yourself from a negative conversation.

Personally, I try to use #1 and #2 in my life, but I’m not the best at implementing #3! Another point I can think of is one from The Four Agreements which I rather enjoyed. The second agreement is “Don’t Take Anything Personally” and the third is “Don’t Make Assumptions.” With those two strategies in mind, in the office place there can be a little less negativity, fewer offensive situations, and a little less office gossip. Having peace-of-mind at work, definitely makes for a more productive and more enjoyable workday! Do you have any other strategies you’ve used to deal with complainers?