I was feeling great, but then my mood changed. Happens all the time. And to the best of us.
We get snippy. Grumpy. Hangry. Overwhelmed by emails and a lack of Vitamin D. We have long days and are short on sleep. All of these effect how we respond to certain situations. And sometimes we get a little too passive aggressive. Espeically over text, where we feel like we can get away with a little 'tude.
#1 OK. or K.
That period is so telling. So is the all caps. If you really do mean, Ok! then add an exclam or write it out: okay. It's so much more gentle that way.
#2 The hard ask, followed by a smiley face.
We all know what that smiley face means. It's a big ole FU. Wink.
#3 Sure.
Here's the thing, everyone reads "sure" in a harsh tone. Even if it's meant playful and "sure, I'd love to do that." An unqualified "sure" is a surefire way to piss off whomever is on the receiving end.
#4 Fine.
Same as the above, especially when followed by a period. It's too short, curt, and doesn't exactly scream, "I'm on it!"
#5 That's not my job, but happy to pitch in.
There are a lot of tasks we all take on that "aren't our job." Airing your grievances via text to your boss is not the way to address it. It's not professional. It's not mature. And most likely, it's going to get a smiley face FU in return.
#6 The three dots (AKA an ellipses) followed by... nothing.
Let's say you get a text from your boss on the weekend and it's urgent. You start to respond, she sees you responding ... she's waiting ... and then ... nothing. And nothing for hours. If it's urgent and she's texting you, for the love, please respond. If it becomes an issue or everything is "urgent" on the weekend, a larger talk is warranted. But know that she likely doesn't want to be sitting around waiting on you anymore than you want to be hearing from her. Text her back and move on.
So how do you prevent yourself from snapping in a work environment? We've got a few tips for ya'll to put into practice.
1. Stop visualizing the worst case scenario.
Part of the reason we get stressed is because we're thinking doom and gloom. A pessimistic attitude is not about the present. Most often it's because we're borrowing negative emotions from the future and adding them to our present current mood. If you mess up with a client or blow it at work, don't imagine getting fired. That's only going to put you in a worse/stressed AF mood. Imagine taking responsibility for your actions and then doing just that.
2. Realize it takes more energy to be angry.
Getting mad at your job, your colleagues, your boss... totally normal. But holding onto grudges that lead to months of passive aggressive texting or emailing is incredibly counter-productive. Use that energy to come up with a plan where you can be HAPPY at work. It's a win-win for all.
What's the most passive-aggressive text you've sent or received in a work context? Share below!
