Many of us grumble about getting up in the morning and sitting at our makeshift desk to report for work and get the day going. We complain about our work, our hours, our coworkers — basically, everything.
But what we should know is that the environment of the workplace, or the Zoom/home workplace, has a lot to do with our bosses. And more often than not, we don’t love our bosses.
So if you’re wondering what to do with a toxic boss, we’ve got a couple suggestions for you.
Forget about your boss and just do the work
Results speak the loudest, so instead of sitting around, wondering why your boss is unreasonable or unwilling to compromise, just do the work given to you.
You have no control over whatever the heck it is your manager does, but you do have direct control over your own goals and performance. If you cut out all the unnecessary things that you worry about, you’d be able to focus more on what you can do to succeed on your role.
Plus, the less attention and energy you give your toxic boss, the less power they have over you.
Have a good, long rant
Our friends and family are here for a reason — to listen to our work rants. All jokes aside, spending a good 30 minutes talking about what went wrong and what’s going on in the workplace might be a good way to release some pent up stress.
Though, make sure not to spend too much of your time talking about work. The more you do this, the more you make your life revolve around work. Have a good balance, maybe have a beer and be done with it.
Also, never talk smack about your boss to those who aren’t your close friends or family (or maybe don’t talk smack in general). You never know who could be listening in on the conversation.
Don’t be afraid to speak up for what’s right
It’s a particular facet of Asian culture to be docile and to endure and take things lying down. None of us want to be the face of disrespect nor do any of us want to be the first to speak out.
But it’s important, as we move up and on in the workforce, to set boundaries when we know what’s happening isn’t right. If your boss is constantly forcing work on you to the point of no rest, or blaming you for things that are out of your control, it’s time to say something (respectfully).
If all goes to sh*t, time to quit
Many of us forget this simple fact: our job is not our life and it is not meant to last forever. When you feel anxious and stressed at the thought of going to work, talking to your boss, or anything work-related, or when you feel like you mentally cannot handle your job anymore, it may be time for you to take your skills elsewhere.
Sometimes, the healthiest thing for us to do is to know when to go. While it’s not the most ideal situation, just know that your mental and physical health, as well as your relationships and overall well-being, is not worth any type of work.
A toxic boss is just a bully, and when you make the conscious decision to stop playing their games or leave their playground, they no longer exist in your world.
