Remaining Cool, Calm, and Collected for Success at Work

After your home, your workplace is probably where you spend most of your time, and the relationships you have with coworkers and management are subject to the same ups and downs – and intensity – as those in your personal life. When the pressures of a work environment are combined with professional relationships and group dynamics, emotions can naturally run high for a variety of reasons, including any baggage brought into the workplace by everyone from other aspects of their lives.

Here are some invaluable strategies for thinking before you react badly or overreact to emotionally intense situations at work:

• Attend to your mind and body by breathing deeply, going for a walk, or getting a drink of water.

• Consider what might be fueling your strong emotions below the surface of the current issue.

• Wait at least 24 hours before replying to the situation, whether via email, phone, or in person.

• Refocus your energy on organizing and other tasks until you calm down.

Thinking before you act is the key to cooling down the heat of your emotions in order to remain calm and in control.