How do you solve dilemmas at your work?  A little context: I once worked a few steps away from a colleague who, on several occasions, bought sunflower seeds in bulk, cracked and discarded the hull one by one during her entire shift.

She did not look up once from her bag of sunflower seeds. It became abundantly clear that she did not realize she had been causing others to become distracted from working. I thought surely this is an episode of Punk’d and Ashton Kutcher would come running out shortly. The below six tips may provide a bit of relief, and a laugh, with regard to workplace antics.

As Cool as a Cucumber

1. Have a hearty chuckle about the situation. You may feel better going forward by taking a lighthearted approach. If you can take the situation with a grain of salt, you may save yourself from one fewer headache in the process. And, you might discover that the situation is not as dreadful as you once perceived it to be.

2. Get up, stretch your legs and refocus. Taking a break by walking to the restroom or break room can allow you to redirect your attention to the real reason why you are at work, to utilize your talents and help your organization flourish.

3. If you think it’s possible, you can always go directly to the source. Done in a tactful and nonconfrontational way, speaking to your co-worker about his/her habit, face-to-face may resolve the issue.

4. You may not want to revisit your problems on another person, but venting your frustrations to a trusted family member or friend is yet another option. Your confidant may have previously experienced the same scenario and may be able to offer valuable insight into your specific situation.

5. Clear your mind. Perhaps you can bring noise-canceling ear buds, along with your favorite soothing music to work. This will allow you to create a great mental space while completing your assignments. You also can take a moment to close your eyes and visualize being on a white sandy beach. Ah!

6. As a last resort, and if none of the above works, it may be time to address the issue with senior staff. The last thing an employer wants to know is that your work is sub par because of an internal interference. Why? It is quite possible that a mediator may be able to offer suggestions on how to make things better or lessen your contact with the person.

Working Out the Kinks

Ultimately, how you handle your work situation is entirely up to you. The former is merely a suggested list of how you can handle a difficult situation with a co-worker.

While nobody wants to be known as the person who threw a co-worker ‘under the bus,’ why not nip the issue in the bud sooner rather than later? What has been your experience with workplace dilemmas? Feel free to comment in the section below.

Web Links:

–http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/24/uk-etiquette-coworkers-idUSLNE83N00920120424

-Kimberly Williams