It’d be nice if we all had dream jobs that we loved and bosses that we adore, but that’s rarely the case. Those in leadership positions can be removed from the experiences of their employees, which makes them easy to hate. Along with the occasional power trips, a focus on profit margins, and managing the intricacies of a business, your boss is under a lot of pressure. It’s no wonder that many of them buckle under the pressure and become, well, douchebags.
If you love your job but hate your boss, here are 11 ways to deal with that situation that don’t include walking out for good.
- Avoid responding in kind. Stooping to his or her level will only make you feel worse about your job situation and may even get you into trouble, so don’t go there.
- Try to empathize with your boss. However weird that this sounds, try and see things from the eyes of your boss. Bosses are people too, and that means they make mistakes, just like anyone else.
- Create a mantra to calm you down, and repeat it when you find your blood boiling. Come up with a phase that helps calm you down, and repeat it in times when you’re particularly stressed out. It sounds silly, but it actually works.
- Seek support elsewhere. If you need documents for a big project, advice on how to deal with a difficult customer, or some a critical eye to your latest report, then find different colleagues that can take on these roles — even if your boss is traditionally the one to do them.
- Look for shared experiences with your colleagues. Is it just you who doesn’t get along with your boss, or are there others who have similar experiences? It can not only be cathartic to find people in similar situations to vent to and commiserate with, but if any legal action needs to be taken, having a group of people with similar experiences will work in your favor in the courts.
- Document your work and accomplishments. If your boss is an douchebag, your job may very well be in peril. Document your work and accomplishments closely so that he can’t fire you for no good reason without you being able to take him to court.
- Listen to music. Create a playlist of songs that will cheer you up, calm you down, or motivate you to work harder. Use these playlists to cope when your boss is being particularly difficult.
- Create habits that you look forward to during work hours. This will distract you, and make you look forward to your time outside of the office even more.
- Crack jokes regularly. Humor is the best medicine sometimes. Other times, it’s the only thing that’ll keep you from crying at your desk.
- Focus on the positive. PMA, or positive mental attitude, can overcome a lot. When your boss is being an arsehole, think on the positive instead of dwelling on the negative.
- Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is about grounding you in the moment, and not allowing distracting thoughts take you away from it. It can ground you in the moment, which reduces stress and anger.
