#1 Coworker Left This In The Break Room Today, With His Name And Phone Number. Bold Move
According to research by Quality Logo Products, around 90% of Americans have a coworker who annoys them, and 57% of people have even considered quitting because of them.
Psychologist Daniel Goleman, author of the bestselling book 'Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ,' says that handling these colleagues has less to do with how you treat them and more to do with how you prepare yourself.
The most important things, Goleman points out, are self-awareness and self-management.
#3 I Asked A Coworker To Count And Tally Up Some Apparel For Me. This Is What I Got
I assumed that was common knowledge, but maybe it isn’t.
#4 Coworker Keeps Avoiding Paying Me Back After She Conveniently Forgot Her Wallet At Dinner
That was weeks ago and she keep posting on social media about going out to fancy restaurants or weekend trips but she always has an excuse when I ask to be paid back. I barely make a livable wage and being in the red because of her has caused me so much anxiety, I feel like such an idiot.
"It's important to know what you're feeling and how it shapes your perceptions, your motivations, your actions, and whether it harms your performance or not," the psychologist says.
"This leads you to recognize what is going on."
By identifying what exactly triggers us, we can better anticipate them and regulate ourselves.
#5 Coworker Kept Using My Creamer. I Live On A Farm And He Knows It
#6 I Don't Get Irritated Easily By Double Parking, But One Of My Coworkers Does This Every Day In A Full Parking Lot
#7 I Have Been Writing A Fun Fact Every Week On An Unused Whiteboard At The Office. Someone Clearly Doesn't Like It
If these things persist and take a considerable toll on us, Goleman suggests giving yourself a little pep talk before going into the office.
"Okay, I'm going to spend two hours with this person who I know triggers me. It’s just this person, it’s not me. And I don’t have to react," he gives an example.
You can also "prepare your physiology" with various practices, such as box breathing.
"This actually shifts your physiology from sympathetic nervous system arousal, which is the stress and anxiety mode, to parasympathetic, which is the relax and recover mode," he says.
#8 Brought This Pie To An Office Potluck. My Coworker Sliced It Like This And Took From The Middle
#9 Coworkers Keep Stealing My Work Breakfasts. Maybe This Flow Chart Will Solve The Issue
By recognizing how our annoying coworker bothers us and preparing to deal with them, we can recover more quickly.
"You can't control what in life is going to trigger you," Goleman says. "But you can control how long you stay triggered and how long you are upset."
#12 My 2 Coworkers Left 45 Minutes Early On A Holiday Weekend, Leaving Me With All These Dishes
#13 My Coworker Loves To Strike Out The Previous Day At Midnight. Someone Beat Him To It Tonight
A new study by Kickresume found that these five types of coworkers are the most irritating:
- Credit Stealer (33%);
- Micromanager (32%);
- Chronic Complainer (30%);
- Personal Space Intruder (30);
- Lunch Thief (27%).
#17 First Day Back In The Office. Bought A Dozen Krispy Kreme Donuts To Take Home To Family. Went For Lunch And Someone Took Them From My Desk
The study also discovered that 62% of respondents face their annoying coworkers directly in the office, making it the top spot for these frustrations.
But it doesn’t end there. Bothersome colleagues appear no matter if you're working in-person or remotely.
Written communication, such as emails and Slack messages, is a significant source of annoyance for 44% of employees. Furthermore, annoying coworkers can also ruin phone calls (37%) and video calls (29%).
#20 This Is How A Coworker Parks Every Day
