避免职场情绪崩溃

A meltdown at work could result in probation¹, suspension and ultimately termination, so work to resolve issues.

工作中的情绪崩溃可能导致留用察看、停职，甚至离职，所以一定得把问题解决。本文为您提供了一些建议，希望能给您有所启发。

By Patrick Erwin CareerBuilder.com writer

At some point, all of us have had a bad day at work. Even if you like your job, chances are you have experienced a day where something or someone at work was wearing you down.

You may also have been overwhelmed or preoccupied² by things that happen at home or outside of work.

Sometimes, those commonplace stressful moments keep building until a meltdown happens - - a massive, off-the-tracks-train-wreck meltdown. And it can happen to even the most professional employee.

Debra Gordon, now a self-employed medical writer in Virginia, was working for a major metropolitan³ newspaper as a reporter when her meltdown occurred. Gordon's editor was pressuring her to stay for a meeting, but she had made a commitment to attend her son's school play.

A verbal conflict with the editor ensued, escalating⁴ until Gordon reached her snapping point, screamed "I quit!" and drove away in tears. Gordon ended up returning to work after another employee mediated⁵, but the environment remained unfavorable, and she resigned a few months later.

Having a meltdown at work can be embarrassing, but witnessing it can be even scarier. Jamie*, a political strategist in Florida, recalls one such incident, when the procedure for handling absentee ballots⁶ was changed near Election Day.

Jamie watched his colleague panic, which turned into a full-fledged meltdown. "He was yelling, screaming and literally⁷ throwing ballots against the wall saying, 'These aren't worth the paper they're printed on! My career is over!'" Jamie recalls. He pulled his colleague aside and told him to take a deep breath and count to 10, while other volunteers picked up the ballots.

Even happy workplaces can spark meltdowns. Dennis Snow is a former employee of an well-known amusement park who has written a book about his 20 years as a staff member. Snow witnessed several meltdowns over the years. One of the most memorable⁸ occurred at a very popular attraction.

As he explains, when a ride is closed, a staff member will stand at the entrance of the ride to personally deliver the bad news to the eager patrons. One ride was closed for restoration, and Dennis, who was assuming his shift at the entrance to the ride, found his co-worker in full meltdown mode.

"She was not only in tears, she was inconsolable. Guests weren't even going near her because of her sobbing⁹." He says. "I asked what was wrong and she said, 'I just can't take it anymore! If one more person blames me for this stupid ride being closed, I'm going to just quit. One father pointed¹⁰ at me and said to his kids, 'Thank the lady for ruining our vacation!'"

Any of this sound familiar? If you, a co-worker or a manager are nearing a breakdown¹¹, this may be a sign that things at work are out of balance. You and your officemates should consider these preventative measures:

Encourage communication at work 工作中需要交流

Discussing workplace stress and blowing off a little steam is important. Nobody wants to create a negative atmosphere with nonstop ranting¹² about work, but talking about your frustrations¹³ or challenges is healthy.

If those frustrations are impacting your ability to get your job done or are impacting a number of people on your team, be sure to escalate¹⁴ that discussion to include your supervisor¹⁵ or upper management.

Assess your workload¹⁶ 评估自己的工作量

Meltdowns are also more likely to happen if a larger portion of the workload is resting on one set of shoulders. If the balance or work in your department is off-kilter, talk to your supervisor or manager.

They may not be aware of the issue. Even if you are incredibly busy, take the time to cross-train other employees whenever you can. The investment of time pays off handsomely when those co-workers are able to take on a bigger workload.

Take a break 休息一下

With layoffs¹⁷ and reduced staffing levels, many workers have been pushed to the brink¹⁸ simply because they feel overwhelmed. It may be tempting¹⁹ to forego taking a break or a lunch when you have a backlog²⁰ of work. Make sure you get away from your desk at least a few times a day.

If you can, go outside and walk around the block or around the building. If the weather is not cooperating, try finding a quiet place indoors, like an unoccupied conference room. If all else fails, close your eyes and take 10 long, deep breaths at your desk.

Offer a helping²¹ hand 给与一臂之力

Your co-worker or manager may have personal issues that are wreaking²² havoc²³ at work. Though you clearly want to respect everyone's privacy, ask your co-worker if everything is OK. If he or she discloses a problem, encourage them to find solutions. Many employers offer an assistance program to employees with resources that will help with issues like child care, elder care and drug and alcohol dependency.

It is important to address any issue that triggers a meltdown before it happens. Your co-workers, managers and companies may be compassionate²⁴ when you experience stress, especially if you are apologetic about it afterwards, but there is a risk of crossing the line.

A meltdown could result in probation, suspension and ultimately termination. If the issue is important enough to trigger a meltdown, it should be a priority to address the issue and resolve it.