6 Ways To Help You Deal With Toxic Co-Worker

We all spend anywhere between 8 – 10 hours at work on an average. Your experiences in the workplace have a big impact on your overall enjoyment of life. While most of us might be blessed with friendly or collaborative colleagues, unfortunately, experiencing toxic behaviour at work is not uncommon. A toxic co-worker can really work to drain your energy and kill morale, but there are some ways to deal and see yourself through situations when you encounter one.
There are toxic relationships that consume us and leave us drained. The ones that cause us daily stress, where our best intentions fall by the wayside and we become embroiled in behaviours that are uncharacteristic at best. And that’s because toxic people defy all reasonable attempts at compromise and collaboration.

When you are faced with a toxic co-worker, avoidance might not always be the best way out. Here are a couple of tips which can help you deal with a toxic co-worker:

* Don’t engage in the noise

Do what you can to limit your exposure to your toxic colleague. Don’t feel compelled to initiate a conversation simply because they walk into the kitchen while you’re filling up your water bottle. A polite hi is all that’s needed. Hanging around is at your own risk. If they engage you in conversation that’s turning hostile, talk slowly and deliberately—it reassures your mind that you’re safe and keeps you from getting embroiled in needless negativity.

* Seek help to maintain healthy perspective

This doesn’t mean actively starting a campaign against those who are toxic! It means seeking support to help you stay strong, relieve stress, and maintain a healthy perspective. However, don’t fall into the trap of burdening your healthy relationships with talk of the toxic person. An occasional laugh or sigh is fine—and often needed—but constantly having them at the top of your conscious awareness drains your emotional energy and leaves little for more positive pursuits.

* Spend more time fostering positivity

Negative (and positive) emotions are contagious. To save yourself the grief of being pulled into their negativity, pay special attention to what helps you feel positive and energized. Remember: It takes a lot more of the good to counter the bad, so don’t be stingy about the time you spend out in nature, or pursuing your passions, or engaging in activities that make you feel alive.

* Don’t let their toxicity affect your productivity

Keep your head in the game because at the end of the day, your job is your responsibility and you need to show up to it, as well as be in the proper work headspace. If little cracks of negativity start to develop from being in proximity to a toxic co-worker and their behaviour, it can really start to affect your performance. As best as you can, continue with your regularly-scheduled work regime and keep up with productivity.

* Try a candid conversation with them

This might not really yield the results up to your expectation, or, not bear any results at all; but it is worth a shot nonetheless. Also, if you keep the discussion on the impact that the toxic behaviour is having on you and your work, then there’s a better chance that they might take a moment to step back and fully recognize that, rather than becoming hostile because they feel defensive.

* The last resort

If you’ve tried all of the above for some time and nothing seems to work, you can revert to what may have been your initial reaction—fight or flee. If it has gotten to this level that you can’t properly do your work, you may reach out to your manager, boss, or even human resources and make them aware of what’s going on. Or, you may decide to change your job if the emotional drain is affecting your health and your relationships.