Managing Negative Emotions at Work

Introduction
Change puts people under stress and this makes it harder to manage your negative reactions or emotions.
However, you can choose how you react to a situation.
The way you handle your negative emotion will have an impact on your productivity and professional reputation.
Need to understand negative emotions and how to best manage them in the workplace, ie choosing your reaction to a negative situation.
NB Positive emotions like joy, excitement, compassion, optimism, etc do not generally have a negative impact on others, as long as you share positive emotions constructively and professionally.

Common negative emotions at work (including ways to handle)

i) frustration/irritation (usually occurs when you feel stuck or trapped, ie unable to move forward; if not handle quickly, can lead to other negative emotions like anger, etc; some ways to handle include
    - stop and evaluate (mentally stop and evaluate why you feel frustrated)
    - think of something positive about the situation (this will make you look at the situation in a different way; can improve your mood)
    - remember the last time you felt frustrated (feeling frustrated or irritated generally does not help to solve the problem))

ii) worry/nervousness (if this gets out of control can negatively impact on mental health, productivity and risk-taking; some ways to handle include
    - don't surround yourself with worry and anxiety (keep away from people who are talking negatively
"...Worry tends to lead to more worry, and that isn't good for anyone..."
MindTools Content Team, 2023)

    - try deep-breathing exercises (this slows your breathing and heart rate, ie
"...breathing slowly for five seconds, and brief out slowly for five seconds. Focus on your breathing, and nothing else. Do this for at least 5 times..."
MindTools Content Team, 2023)

    - focus on how to improve the situation (see positive aspects in what is happening)

    - record your worries and understand any risk (after recording them, then schedule a time to deal with, ie conduct a proper risk analysis and take whatever action necessary to mitigate any risks))

iii) anger/aggravation (out-of-control anger is one of the most destructive emotions; it can be very hard to handle; some ways to handle include
    - watch for an early signs of anger (learn to recognise when anger is building so that able to stop it
"...just because your first instinct is to become angry doesn't mean it's the correct response..."
MindTools Content Team, 2023)

    - if you start to get angry, stop what you are doing (for example, close your eyes and practised deep-breathing - see above
"...this interrupts your angry thoughts, and it helps put you back on a more positive path..."
MindTools Content Team, 2023)

    - picture yourself when you're angry (imagine how you look and behave when  you are angry, ie shouting, red face, poor body language, eg hands; this can give you another perspective, ie would you like to work with a person like that!!!))

iv) dislike (we all have to work with people we don't like; needs to be handled diplomatically and professionally, ie

    - be respectful (put aside your pride and ego; irrespective of your feeling about them
"...treat the person with courtesy and respect..."
MindTools Content Team, 2023)

    - be assertive (if someone behaves rudely and unprofessionally
"...then firmly explain that you refuse to be treated that way, and calmly leave the situation..."
MindTools Content Team, 2023))

v) disappointment/unhappiness (these emotions are difficult to handle as they are likely to impact your productivity, sap your energy, reduce the risk taking, etc; some proactive steps to handle include

    - look at your mindset (realise that things don't always go your way, ie there are 'ups and downs' that make life interesting)

    - adjust your goal (if the situation changes prepared to modify your goal and/or  its timeline)

    - record your thoughts (write down exactly what is making you disappointed/unhappy
"...once you identify the problem, start brainstorming ways to solve it will work around it. Remember, you always have the power to change your situation..."
MindTools Content Team, 2023)

    - smile (even a forced smile can make you feel happy))

Summary
"...negative emotions can spread, and no one wants to be around a person who adds negativity to a group. Know what causes your negative emotions, and which types of feelings you face most often. When those feelings begin to appear immediately start your strategy to interrupt the cycle. the longer you wait, the harder it will be to pull yourself away from negative thinking..."
MindTools Content Team, 2023)