“When you react, you let others control you. When you respond, you are in control.” – Bohdi Sanders, PH.D.
Part of being human means we experience a range of emotional states that can be a challenge to predict and even control. For these reasons, emotional regulation is an important skill that can help maintain mental stability and professionalism on the job. Understanding and managing emotions can significantly improve decision-making processes and interpersonal relationships between managers and coworkers. One of the key aims of emotional regulation, is for individuals to keep a cool head in stressful situations. This article discusses useful tips to help improve emotional regulation in professional settings and to facilitate a positive, and rational work environment.
What is Emotional Regulation?
Emotion regulation is the ability to exert control over one’s emotional state. It may involve rethinking a challenging situation to reduce anger or anxiety, hiding signs of sadness or fear, or focusing on reasons to feel happy.
Why is Emotional Regulation Necessary in the Workplace?
Emotional regulation is crucial in the workplace because it directly affects productivity, employee interactions, and company morale. When employees are able to manage difficult emotions, there are fewer misunderstandings and conflicts, making the work environment a more pleasant place to be.
“The real difficulty with emotional regulation in the workplace is that feelings can be untrustworthy. Learning to discriminate between emotions that are trustworthy and those that are misleading is crucial to reading situations correctly, making the best possible decisions” – Naomi Shragai.
What is Self-Management?
Self-management is the ability to consciously and constructively manage thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. Individuals with strong self-management skills know what to do and how to act in different situations.
For example, people with good self-management can organize themselves; they take notes, turn up on time, offer solutions, and think ahead. In short, they control themselves and are not ruled by moodiness or volatile emotions.
What is Emotional Dysregulation?
Emotional dysregulation refers to an individual who has difficulty regulating their emotions. They may feel overwhelmed and have difficulty controlling impulsive behaviors or unpredictable outbursts.
Here are some common signs of emotional dysregulation include:
-
- Experiencing strong emotional reactions to everyday events
- Impulsive behaviors
- Mood swings
- Feeling overwhelmed by negative emotions
- Having intense emotions that are difficult to control
- Inability to manage with stress
- Feelings of Depression or Anxiety
- Self-harm
- Excessive substance use or abuse
These intense emotional responses and counterproductive behaviors can damage relationships, personal well-being, work productivity, and other aspects of daily life.
“Mastering emotional regulation equips individuals to channel these feelings into constructive pathways. For example, rather than succumbing to anger in a heated discussion, one can harness that energy to passionately argue a point without resorting to insults.” – Benjamin Laker.
How to Improve Emotional Regulation at Work – 7 Tips & Techniques
Tip #1: Understand the Emotional Triggers
It is critical to have a deep understanding of what triggers strong emotional responses.
A highly developed sense of self-awareness is the key to managing reactions in high-pressure situations and ensuring emotions do not negatively impact decision-making or interpersonal relationships.
Tip #2: Practice Mindfulness and Meditation
Regular mindfulness and meditation practices are recommended to maintain mental clarity and resilience.
These techniques help individuals stay grounded and focused at work, enhancing their ability to deal with stress and maintain a clear head in complex situations.
Tip #3: Learn to Reframe Perspectives
Professionals use the skill of reframing to view challenges from multiple perspectives.
Reframing allows individuals to avoid emotionally driven decisions and consider the broader implications or consequences of words and actions. The technique leads to better choices, actions and work outcomes.
Tip #4: Take Strategic Breaks
Recognizing the importance of work breaks is vital for emotional and mental well-being.
Pausing for introspection or a brief respite can rejuvenate one’s mind, aiding in better emotional regulation.
Tip #6: Compartmentalization
Compartmentalization is a defense mechanism in which people mentally separate conflicting thoughts, emotions, or experiences to avoid the discomfort of contradiction.
“Compartmentalization can be part of everyday experience, especially in situations when life can benefit from a little separation.” – Psychology Today.
Tip #7: Use Emotions Constructively
Instead of suppressing emotions, emotional regulation allows individuals to channel them into productive activities.
For instance, converting the energy from anger into a passionate argument or using stress as a catalyst for innovation.
In short, the aim of emotional regulation is self-control, learning to reframe challenging or negative experiences in positive ways, and living according to one’s core value system.
“To be in control of one’s emotions means maintaining personal composure during times of stress, when things are uncertain, or when faced with conflict or disagreement. This does not mean suppressing all emotions, but rather consciously choosing which emotions are appropriate in any given situation, and avoiding expressing extreme or negative emotions during times of pressure.” – Brittney Anderson, Research Associate & Executive Coach.
Final Comments
As the modern work environment becomes more socially complex, emotional regulation will continue to be a key skill that can help overcome professional challenges. understanding and managing our emotions can improve self-management skills and help to build a positive, low-stress work culture. With practice and persistence, employees and managers can learn emotional regulation, allowing cool heads to prevail in stressful situations.
Thank you for reading our article!
TimeWellScheduled is a secure online time and attendance software 100% tailored to meet your scheduling needs! In Addition, our cloud-based scheduling solution optimizes employee attendance tracking, simplifies payroll administration, and enhances staff management capabilities. Plus, our service is free for up to 10 employees!
Click here to download our (Excel) employee scheduling template; It’s FREE!
