What do you do when you love everything about your job, except that one annoying coworker? You have to be around this person at least 8 hours per day, 5 days per week. You spend more time with this person than you do with your friends and some family members.
Some people just like to push our buttons. There are individuals who are actively working against you to try to get ahead. And some are just completely clueless and don’t even realize what they’re doing. Do you work with someone like this?
Discover some helpful tips for dealing with annoying coworkers:
1. Try avoiding them. It may seem obvious, but if you make an effort to avoid someone, you may be able to significantly reduce the frequency of your interactions with them.
2. Ignore the annoying coworker. If you work within earshot of someone who likes to sing all day long, the one who is constantly talking, or the office jokester who is constantly making un-funny jokes, try to ignore them.
3. Take the high road and maintain a positive attitude. Do your best to let things go and not allow their annoying habits to irritate you. Ultimately, it’s your responsibility to stay focused and get your work done.
4. Find a way to let your frustration out. Get away from the individual that annoys you. When you take your breaks, don’t go to the break room where they may show up. Instead, go for a walk and disappear for a little while.
• Rather than just taking a leisurely stroll, consider doing some power walking. A quick workout can help you release your frustrations. Furthermore, the endorphins released during exercise will make you feel a lot better.
5. Be more assertive. If avoiding someone, ignoring them, and doing your best to let their annoying habits roll off your back just isn’t working, it’s time to confront them.
• If you have a coworker who’s constantly cracking jokes, singing, or trying to make small talk with everyone around them, politely tell them that it’s distracting you. Then, say that you’d appreciate it if they would focus on their work, too.
• If a coworker is repeatedly interrupting you when you’re trying to work, ask them to write you a note or send you an e-mail so that you can address their concerns when you have time. Ask them to respect your time and speak to you only if their questions are pressing and work related.
6. Talk to your supervisor. If you have attempted all of these tips and things still haven’t changed, it may be time to talk to the boss.
• Your supervisor may have better luck getting them to change their annoying habits.
• It’s also possible that you’re not the only one having these concerns. If several of your coworkers have already approached your supervisor with the same issues, they’ll have no choice but to do something about it.
When you have an annoying coworker, it’s important to remember that most of the time the reason they do things that others find annoying is because they’re unhappy in their own lives. If someone is miserable, you can try to show compassion or avoid them as much as possible. Just don’t let their misery negatively impact your work.
