The Most Powerful Way To Keep Your Emotions in Check
Emotions in the workplace can be tricky.
You may find that sometimes your emotions inspire you to act in your best interest, while at other times they lead you to self-sabotage.
One way to handle intense emotions in the workplace is through the principle of “opposite action”. This psychological principle encourages us to accept and work with our emotions, rather than deny them.
Opposite action is exactly what it sounds like. It involves redirecting intense emotions to healthier behaviour by doing the opposite of what our emotion tells us to do.
Let’s take the example of getting negative feedback.
Identify the Urge Associated With the Emotions You’re Experiencing
Let’s say you tend to feel crushed when your boss gives you constructive feedback about how your presentation could be improved. What comes up for you as you recall times other times in your life when you typically experienced strong feelings of disappointment? What actions or urges did you find yourself experiencing?
It’s likely that you felt the urge to run or hide. Maybe you locked yourself in your bedroom for hours to cry after getting a bad grade on a school report. As…
