Dealing with frustrating coworkers/work environments

I would like this thread to be kind of a sharing space for ways that people deal with their own frustrations with bosses and coworkers. If anyone wants to share their problem and whatever coping mechanism they use, please feel free!

I have some tactics that I use with a small degree of effectiveness, but I still have trouble when it comes to feeling less stressed in the workplace.

-------

So, I have a small office at work. I work right next to all of the copy machines, so the noise level during the day quickly drives me insane and I don't always have the option of keeping my office door closed to block the noise out. That noise makes me want to jump out of the nearest window. It is so loud that it will interrupt whatever I was just doing. I absolutely hate it. I did buy nicer headphones that do help quite a bit during the day, but there are days where I would just like to work in silence, so it does get frustrating.

I also work with a lot of frustrating people. I think my main problem is the company culture. Everyone is very competitive, but I feel that most people I deal with directly are woefully underequipped for their jobs. I get frustrated because my role was specifically created to address their technical problems, but because of the competitive culture, everyone wants to be the hero who figures out the problem first, so things that really are better suited for me to do are rarely brought to me when they should. This means that by the time I do get the project, it is now an emergency and I have a tight deadline only because other people waited way too long to come to me. I have tried to be proactive, but everyone is so freaking secretive that they don't share anything with anyone.

I also have the problem of not being a patient person from the outset, so I have been working on it, but it's hard when I am dealing with people who suck at communicating. They will explain things poorly, get confused halfway through sentences, and when I ask for clarification, they're totally lost. I have tried to ask them to sketch an idea out for me or let me build an example and they can tell me if I'm getting warmer or cooler, and it does help a little, but it is very time consuming, especially when I have tight deadlines.

Deadlines are not usually communicated to me either, which adds to my frustration. And as an aside, many people in my office misuse technical terms and it just makes me crazy. When they do that, it can get muddled what they mean because I use those same technical terms correctly, but our usage of the same words is completely different. It absolutely drives me crazy.

So some of it is my own mindset/personality and some is actually on my coworkers, but they aren't changing. I can tell them how I'd like them to do things til I'm blue in the face, but the reality is, they are going to continue to misuse common technical terms (and confuse other technical staff) and they're going to be bad at communication in general. I would like to be able to handle the frustration at the office better. Deep breaths and mindfulness don't really work when you're constantly pumping music in your ears to drown out the noisy copy machines. I can't typically leave the office either. At other jobs, I would take a walk around the building to regain my sanity, but here, that isn't usually an option.

Hi JJBX

It sound as if you are in a challenging work environment.

I think that each work place brings different expectations and requirements and some can be more demanding than others.

I wonder if you've considered seeing someone to help you with some strategies during times when you are feeling distress about work situations?

That sounds really frustrating. I also do not like noisy work environments or getting emergency situations dumped on me at the last minute when people had a lot of opportunity to give me more notice ahead of time.

Hopefully interpreting what people really mean when they say they want X will get easier over time.

I want to let this sort of stuff just roll off my back more easily and quickly. There's nothing worse than getting all wound up about a work situation when you aren't getting paid to worry at home.

I'm so fed up with my workplace. I'm glad you started this thread

The work I do (in my opinion) is cake work, and to be considered a luxury! Considering past jobs I've had.

But it seems EVERYONE in this job I have is so concerned with what everyone else is doing.....is constantly comparing themselves..... and/or is creating these delusional stories about 'the meaning' behind why some people do what they do!

I don't understand why there is all this creation of conflict out of NOTHING. Some of the creations are completely due to THEIR ego issues only; and has nothing to do with how the work is supposed to get done.

Also-
Who cares if he is a little heavy handed and tends to rattle the papers as he files them away, or organizes them.
Who cares how someone staples something and tosses the stapler down.

Seems to me there are MUCH more upsetting things in life than the way a person types a little loudly. I'm sure there is a reason for it!! Most likely a medical reason!!! Hello, parkinsons.....essential tremor.....simple clumsiness; or even simple lack of focus on irrelevant things- because you're focused on putting together all the necessary pieces to GET THE JOB DONE.

Am I completely wrong in my thinking?

Also, What I do in my personal home time, is of no bodies business....nor does it have any affect on the processing of the work. It's not like I'm working as a politician or in clergy or something.

I really think it's best to be light hearted, lose the ego- and just do what you get paid for. Simple as that! The rules and regulations have already been defined by others.....so just follow it, and 'get-er-done'

So far, the only thing that has kept me from going 'postal', is listening to my headphones, and ignoring everyone. If I walk past someone, i'll make eye contact and say hi....maybe make a comment on the weather.
That's all I really desire to give, and,.... for that matter....receive!!

I don't want to hear about how your child is rolling over now. Doesn't every baby begin rolling over at some point?
I don't care "joe" got a DUI last weekend. His problem- his mistake he's got to pay for.
And I don't think Someone is 'punishing' another person when they pass off work. They're just showing their incompetence, and just need to be told, "Sure, I can get to this- but it will have to be after my prioritized workload is done.... or Sure I can get to this, but I also have A and B to do. Which would you think is best for me to put off that might put it over due-in order to get done C.

I must admit though--isolating myself does have it's down fall. I'm a bit stuck in my own head, and when someone comes to my desk just to chat, I find myself turning around and spewing out some verbal non-sense....just because that was what was going on in my head at the time. I'm sure I appear a little 'out there'..... but at this point.....words can't express how much I DONT CARE. Label me a weirdo then. Thank you. Yes, I'll be that.

Thanks again for creating this thread. WOW that felt good to vent.

LOL!! You and I seem to be cut from the same cloth in that respect. Holy moley, I don't CARE what my coworkers say. I'm the mean one because I just don't like chit-chatting about my life with people who make my life difficult at work.

I think that workplace hostility is just the result of sharing close quarters. I mean, the way people breathe will irritate the crap out of me if I have to spend 40 hours a week in a shoebox with them. I think everyone at your office needs to invest in some noise cancelling headphones. They DO help.

I once shared cube space with a man who seriously drank no fewer than 6 Dr. Peppers a day. It was so nasty. He also inserted the most meaningless opinions into projects all of the time, which was frustrating. I think it would have been easier to deal with that part if I weren't sharing such a small space that I NOTICED how much Dr. Pepper he was drinking, if that makes sense. Lol.

Noise cancelling headphones help indeed

What about these 'office games'? Does anyone else work in an office where they play stupid games? Like, the deja-vu game? Or, the "hi" game? Or the 'knock-by'?