Tips for Dealing with Annoying Coworkers

There are few things that can get under your skin, like an annoying coworker. Because they’re in your place of work, you’ve just got to get along with them and look at the big picture. Knowing that doesn’t make it any easier, unfortunately. Here are some tips for dealing with annoying coworkers, because unfortunately we can’t make them disappear:

1) Get Space
If you’re feeling trapped, annoyed or overwhelmed it’s important to get space. Even if that means just going for a walk on your lunch break, getting some space can make a world of difference. You’ll come back feeling refreshed, relaxed and with a higher tolerance.  You might even find yourself needing to get some space during the working hours, consider a slow walk to the kitchen or bathroom for a bit of a breather. It’s better to take some space now and come back feeling refreshed and productive than to slump in your chair all day long feeling miserable.

2) Tell Them You’re Overwhelmed
Whether your coworker is annoying because they lump too much stuff on your plate, or because they’re always hanging by your cubicle, politely telling them that you’re feeling a little overwhelmed and need a bit of space to get things done can make a big difference. Often we’ll deal with more than we can cope, until it eventually becomes exhausting and we have a break down. Be honest and upfront, even if you can’t tell the coworker to disappear because they’re annoying you, you can blame your lack of conversation on simply being too busy.

3) Talk to HR or higher management
Depending on the way your company’s structured, you might want to take your complaints to HR or higher management. Talk to friends and family about your coworker in an honest and non-biased way to get some outside opinions. It’s really important when you do talk to someone else in the company about your annoying coworker, that you talk in a way that isn’t overly emotional. Sometimes talking about someone else behind their backs can actually backfire on you! So make sure you discuss it in a professional way that doesn’t make you look bad. Focus on the facts and let HR or higher management deal with the issue.

4) Brush it Off
If you dwell on something, you’ll make it so much bigger in your own head and make it more of a problem. If you can just brush your annoying coworker off as they annoy you, you’ll hold onto a lot less anger. The truth is, being angry or annoyed with someone is like holding a hot piece of coal – only you get burned.