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There’s no crying in baseball…

by Kim on April 26th, 2006

Have you ever cried at the office? Whenever I hear that question being asked, I immediately think of that famous Tom Hanks line from the movie, “A League of Their Own”.

You can never, ever cry at work…it can ruin your career — you know that, right? We’ve heard it over and over again from career development experts, and yet…sometimes it’s so hard to keep your emotions in check at the office. It’s like someone telling you not to get behind the wheel of your car after you’ve had a cocktail…do you always listen to that forbidding advice? I hope so, in both situations.

It’s easier for me as I sit in my home office, alone with the daily issues that affect the management of The Pet Set, but for those of you who cannot hide in your kitchen with your pjs on feeling sorry for yourself, I thought I should gather up a few thoughts.

According to a column written by Kate Lorenz, on CareerBuilder.com, here are some ways to you can better handle your emotions at work:

Prepare for difficult situations: Practice making your arguments or rehearse your responses with someone. The more prepared you are, the less likely it is that you will be blind sided by something that will turn on your tear ducts.

Don’t barge into confrontiononal situations: No matter what the situation is that is upsetting you, wait a while before charging into your manager’s office to complain. Give yourself some time to settle your emotions and think rationally about what you want to say.

Develop coping mechanisms: Taking a walk or getting outside to clear your head is a great way to deal with stressful situations, or excuse yourself from the situation and head to the restroom…take some deep breaths or just hide out in your cubicle and take a few minutes to relax.

Pay attention and listen to your emotions: If you are having a rotten day, feeling down in the dumps or just feel like you need a good cry, listen to those feeelings and act accordingly. Put off your review or don’t schedule a heart-to-heart chat with your boss.

Figure out what stops your tears: Maybe think of a funny situation, pinch yourself, or just get a cold drink of water…the trick is to identify your personal “stop” button before it is too late.

If you have had the misfortune of breaking down in front of someone, after you’ve collected your thoughts, go back to that person and talk about what happened.

I’m sure there are tons of great books, articles and blogs about this topic, if you come across something interesting that will help all of us, let me know.

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