Work can sometimes involve dealing with people you don't like or have a hard time communicating with.
And frankly, sometimes they can just be out to get at you. If you've tried everything, you can't avoid the person, HR is not helping, and company politics are not improving the situation you can always try some mind tricks for a lighthearted and amusing way to handle these stressful individuals!
Grandmother was some kind of witch, fairy or magician.
At least that's what I thought when I was a child.
She always had strange mantras, which she used to say out loud to recover lost items and bring good karma.
Lucky talismans, crystals, pendulums and other strange contraptions littered the house and you would walk into her room and find a candle burning for a spell of some kind.
She just believed in those things.
She also believed in self-confidence and willpower.
As a grown-up, my thinking is a bit more on the rational side of things now, but I've kept a few funny little habits and quirks from those days which I try 'when all else fails'. The psychological aspect of these little tricks is sometimes very potent if your mind is open to it.
Here are three ways I've used these to deal with stress at work and disagreeable co-workers or managers.
1. Picture them in a ridiculous situation.
This one is actually used by a lot of people already, often people use nudity as an example.
Now I'm not suggesting to start having fantasies about them. The idea is to picture them in a vulnerable or in a particularly ridiculous situation, and it so happens that some people find nudity works for them.
We suggest picturing the silliest outfit you can think of, or an absurd situation they might be in. This will help make them feel less intimidating and make their annoying behaviour easier to dismiss.
2. Write their name under your shoe with a biro.
If they are making you feel inferior, that's a good way to mentally walk all over them. This should also give you a confidence boost and the ability to handle situations from the high ground.
Obviously don't write it in flashy colours, as somebody may eventually notice something about your shoes!
3. Write their name on a piece of paper and stick it in the freezer.
Fairly similar to the last trick, but you don't have to worry about anyone spotting the odd writing under your shoe.
I've actually found this to be a good thing to do if you're particularly upset at a co-worker, as something to do in that very moment when you get home. Something about mentally putting them into the cold and dark of the freezer helps to lower the frustration and anger.
And on top of this, if you feel a little silly doing this, it will probably make you laugh and relax you too.
I cleared out the freezer the other day and found a slip of paper which had been lying around there for a couple of years. Needless to say, I was completely over that work tension.
All of this is completely harmless, but will tune your brain into a different train of thought!
At least, we think it is harmless... We've not heard of anyone having any particular ill luck for any of these things, but tricking your own mind with this is a very amusing and sometimes very useful way to improve your mood, beat fear and promote confidence.