Some employees get upset about every little thing on the job.
That doesn't make you satisfied in the long run - and it's also unhealthy.
Munich – What to do when anger keeps rising in your stomach?
Colleagues always deliver too late, the boss has another strange idea that he passes on to you and the customers just don't call back.
The stress level in everyday working life can rise quickly.
This emotional closeness to the job is certainly not always healthy.
But how to counteract this?
"A first step in an acute situation can be to build distance - take a deep breath and slowly count to ten," says Hannes Zacher, Professor of Industrial and Organizational Psychology at the University of Leipzig.
That alone can be liberating and ensure that you approach things more calmly, according to the expert.
Calm blood on the job: reflect on your own anger
But it also makes sense to take a quiet minute to reflect on certain situations that make you so angry.
"You also have to realize that people are different and have different attitudes," says expert Zacher.
In the course of this reflection, one must compare one's own needs and desires with the behavior of others, which makes one boil, and explore for oneself where a middle ground could lie.
Anyone who is constantly upset about everything at work is wasting a lot of unnecessary energy
But there are alternatives.
"It is quite appropriate to tell others that they upset you wildly," says work psychologist Zacher.
To do this, you should describe an observation in a matter-of-fact, calm tone.
The annoyed person expresses their own feeling (e.g.: “I can hardly concentrate”) and in the next step expresses how they would like the situation to be.
What's important: If you let others in the working world know that they're driving you crazy, then you should always describe your messages from the first-person perspective, advises work psychologist Frank Berzbach.
Because what upsets you so much, others do not necessarily feel the same way.
And escalating the conversation is by no means a good idea.
"It's better to ask the other side to think about what you want," says Zacher.
Reflect:
Sometimes it helps to ask yourself what is really upsetting you at the moment;
and why.
Addressing anger:
If colleagues are the reason for the increased stress level, you should seek dialogue.
And in a matter-of-fact, calm tone.
A "don't care" attitude is destructive.
Avoid noise:
Wherever possible, you should look for a quiet retreat.
Gaining distance:
When anger gets the better of you, it's a good idea to step away from stress and anger for a moment.
For example by leaving the workplace for a moment or by walking a few steps.
More serenity in everyday work life is not always so easy to implement.
"Noise can increase the stress level enormously and ensure that you get angry more quickly over small things," says Berzbach.
Therefore, employees should ensure that the working environment is as quiet as possible;
and take action against stress in everyday working life.
Also for the sake of health.
Finding a healthy middle ground: indifference at work is destructive – a little emotion is necessary
"It has also been proven that with increasing age one gains more composure and emotional stability," says Hannes Zacher.
Difficult situations are not avoided, but addressed openly.
That way no aggression can build up.
An example: An employee is annoyed that team meetings are always so long.
"Instead of his anger building up, he can take the initiative and discuss with his boss how such meetings can be streamlined," says Zacher.
Sustainably reduce stress – with proven relaxation techniques
Sustainably reduce stress – with proven relaxation techniques
In no case is it a solution to adopt an “it doesn't matter” attitude.
"Indifference is destructive and poisons the working atmosphere," says work psychologist Berzbach.
This harms yourself and others.
Anger and anger at work: If nothing works, distance yourself from the stress
And what if it happens again that you get angry in everyday work?
In addition to taking deep breaths and counting to ten, changing places can also help.
"Just go out and do a lap around the block," recommends Hannes Zacher.
If you want to stay at work, you can also actively engage in something completely different, "to get away from the one point that makes you angry," says Frank Berzbach.
(Sabine Meuter)
