We may cry during sappy television commercials, when we argue with our spouse or best friend, or if we get some upsetting news, but letting the waterworks flow at work is not something we want to do or see all too often. Being emotional in the workplace setting to the point where tears fall can be embarrassing, disturbing, and often frowned upon. But like anything else in this imperfect world, things happen that are beyond our control. Anything from welled-up eyes to a full-on bawl can go down at work, but it is not the end of the world – no matter how you may feel in the moment.
You may have cried at work in the past or held in your bubbling up tears to the point of nearly bursting. You may fear the day will come that you will lose your composure and weep like you just lost your puppy. Before you relive the moment or stress out unnecessarily, know that many people at all levels have cried at work and managed to live to see another day, through clear eyes and a renewed sense of spirit.
Aside from reaching for the nearest box of Kleenex, here is what you should do if you cry at work.
Acknowledge the Wave of Emotions
unsplash.com
OK, so the tears poured like a rainstorm and everyone saw the scene. You can't sweep the scene under the rug, but you do not need to cause a further spectacle. Once you can manage to get the words out, acknowledge that you became overwhelmed or overcome with emotions. And that's that.
Forbesrecommends, "The key is to acknowledge the emotion or the circumstances that led to your outburst, but don't apologize for it. When you start apologizing, it takes one person's discomfort and makes two people uncomfortable."
Elle Canada suggests, "Own it. If you're in a meeting, be direct. Say 'Well, that hit a nerve." Clear and concise, end of subject.
Be brief and be mature. If you try to skirt the issue, people will be kept wondering what's going on with you, gossip can fester, and folks may think that anything said or done will cause the "fragile" you to break down again. Show your strength by exhibiting that emotions are part of humanity.
Excuse Yourself
You will need to get back to work with a clear head and a fresh restart. You may need to remove yourself from the group to recompose. Head to the rest room, take a breather outside, or just go to your desk or office for a few moments of privacy.
Those who witnessed your tears will surely understand and probably expect you to step away for a bit. Once you have recovered, hold your head up high and resume your work. Do not let the upset dictate how the rest of your day will go. You might actually feel much better after releasing the pent-up tension and stress.
Move On
unsplash.com
It is time to let it go. We all have our moments and this was yours. There is no need to rehash the episode or bring it up again. Most people will not even remember this happened in a day or so. As Fortune reminds us, "Just get over it. Everyone else will forget about it if you forget about it"
Like Elle Canada notes, "There's no 'tissue ceiling' — people can be successful at all levels of management, and crying is a biological thing that people are wired to do. Don't beat yourself up over it."
Once you reflect and get to the root of the problem that caused your crying in the first place, you will find yourself in a better frame of mind and have the ability to work through the issue the next go-round sans tears. 'Till then, always have a hankie on you.
Every time payday rolls around, I’m on top of the world. Jeff Bezos-level rich - even though I’m anything but. And then somehow the very next day, rent is due.
The cycle continues. The next payday, bills for my apartment. I find myself without a surplus of savings since I just moved and newly-furnished my apartment completely.
Even more terrifying is the looming presence of the holiday season. Halloween’s officially over and before we know it, hello Thanksgiving…and then there’s Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year’s. It’s insane.
I’ve been feeling very British lately. Not in a Union-Jack-obsessed, “Keep Calm and Carry-On” way. I went through that phase in 2012 with everyone else… no thank you. And it’s not even a surge of patriotism catalyzed by the Queen dying — I’m firmly team Diana and team Meghan.
Now that fall is officially here, the holidays will sweep in and I’ll have to contend with the fact that I won’t be spending them with my family in the UK. I went home to London earlier this year, so there’s not much left in my travel budget for another trip across the pond. A few domestic jaunts might be in my future, but the closest I’ll get to England this winter is watching Love Island and Love, Actually.
So in that spirit, I’ve been filling my days with content from my favorite Brits. I’m listening to all the old British rock bands I grew up listening to, patiently awaiting the new Arctic Monkeys album, and rewatching anything with Michaela Coel in it. I even shipped myself an order of British Baked Beans, so you know it’s dire.
I’ve also been watching British YouTubers like Grace Beverley — my favorite. Generally, I only go on YouTube to watch Vogue Beauty Secrets and AD Open Door videos. But I’m so glad I stumbled on Grace. Her content is a mix of London lifestyle (what lured me in), relatable entrepreneurship, and mindful productivity. I’m not a hustle-and-grind-girlboss, but as a creative person in a 9-to-5, I need all the help I can get to stay plugged in. So, the video “how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed” changed my approach to WFH.
Grace outlines her own productivity method: the to-do table. Instead of making a simple to-do list, she divides her tasks into a table that anyone can follow. As someone who’s survived with to-do lists for years, I recently implemented Grace’s method, and it’s revolutionized my workdays.
how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmedwww.youtube.com
I follow her routine to a tee. Here’s how it works:
Essentially, she divides her daily responsibilities into four categories: quick ticks, tasks, projects, and non-negotiables.
- Quick Ticks: Actions that take less than 5-minutes
- Tasks: To-do’s that take up to 30-minutes. Probably don’t take too much brain energy.
- Projects: Long-term list items. These help guide your priorities, even if you’re not crossing them off in one day.
- Non-negotiables: Pick 3 things each day that you must get done. This is how you’ll truly measure success.
With everything written down and sorted, next address your schedule. Meetings, deadlines, and time blocks — whatever works best for you. Write it down. Then make a pact with yourself to stick to them.
This way of categorization provides a roadmap for prioritizing your day — making you far more productive. Have you ever spent the entire day on small tasks and then suddenly realized you hadn’t moved the needle on any task? Or do you spend way too much time on tasks that aren’t a priority? No more. With your non-negotiables laid out, you know what to laser-focus on and what to dedicate energy towards.
Also, it pays to know your working style. I’m not a morning person. Yet, I have to be up and at ‘em super early. So, first thing in the morning, I march through my Quick Ticks to warm me up. I set a time limit, so I can knock out some easy wins which is totally inspiring. Then I move on to bigger things without lingering on emails or admin. For others, it might be more helpful to tackle the big things with all that early-in-the-day brain power earlier.
Grace has great tips on avoiding overwhelm and burnout. My favorite is taking more intentional breaks rather than scrolling through social media. I call this scrolling “productive” because I’m “coming up with pitches.” Oh, the lies we tell ourselves. It’s more productive in the long run to giving my brain a break with non-screen related stimuli.
Grace’s solution? Set a timer to read a real, an actual book. I’ve never thought of this. It’s a genius way to check off some books on my TBR and kickstart my creativity. After reading a good book, I’m completely inspired to write. So having books near my desk helps me step away from the computer during my lunch break for an actual reset. (And yes, the current books I’m reading are by British authors: Assembly by Natasha Brown, and Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalolu.)
In my pursuit of switching out my WFH set-up and getting my life together, I’ve engineered my workstation for success. With my new WFH essentials and Grace’s productivity technique, I’m revitalized for work — despite the fall blues and my melancholy about the pending holidays.
Here are the things getting me hyped for work and helping me crush my Grace Beverley-inspired to-do tables — no lists in sight:
Southwest Airlines Sale 2022
Pack your bags — Southwest Airlines is having a major sale! Fares are as low as $59 one-way if you book by October 3rd.
This end-of-summer super sale is a game-changer for your travel plans through the end of the year. Summertime travel gets all the glory. But why not take advantage of your long weekends, holidays, and PTO this fall. You’ll be surprised at how much travel you can fit in. Keep the fall/winter season exciting with domestic trips that give you all the excitement without breaking the bank. All thanks to Southwest.
Here’s the breakdown:
Where can you go?
You’ll find discounted tickets to and from most airports. Sale fares apply to cross country travel, and even Hawaii, Mexico, and the Caribbean! Whether you’re visiting a new city or revisiting your last beach vacation, this sale has fares to make your travel dreams come true.
What do the fares cover?
Southwest Airlines has multiple fare tiers, each with various benefits. Wanna Get Away fares start at $59, while Wanna Get Away Plus fares start at $89. You can also find great deals on Anytime fares, which offer priority boarding and express lanes. Then there’s Business Select tickets for a luxe experience at an affordable price point.
Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member?
You may think these sale fares are too good to be true. Is there a catch? Do you have to be a Southwest Rapid Rewards member to access them? You’re in luck — anyone can attain these fares for a limited time.
But, insider tip, you should consider signing up for Southwest Rapid Rewards. With a free sign up, you earn points and miles with each trip you take. And with this sale, each dollar you spend on these discounted tix can stretch super far until you eventually earn free travel. The only thing better than a sale is free stuff.
So pack your bags and brace yourself for those chaotic airport lines. Everyone’s hopping on this deal so get on it. Don’t miss out — grab your sale tickets by October 3rd!
I’ve been browsing the Southwest Airlines site, checking out flights and dreaming.