Life Guide: How to be a Better Coworker

    Ever since I started working, I found out that regardless of how much time I spend at my working place, how I connect with the people in it has so much to do with my emotional and mental well-being. It's one thing to be physically stressed from work, it's another thing to get stressed from the people you work with. Let's face it, we can't control our coworkers' personality.  That being said, not everyone's going to be your cup of tea and you're not always going to be somebody's favorite person either. However, we can always work on how we can communicate with them and maybe build a connection that is both genuine and lasting beyond office hours. 

👩 💼👨 💻Gear Away from Unprofessional Practices 👩 💼👨 💻

     We all love to be treated professionally with respect and dignity. That’s not an impossible thing to achieve especially when you know that you are doing your job well and that you try to act in a professional manner while you’re at work. One way to achieve that is by gearing away from doing things that would make you look unprofessional. It could be being on your phone, watching movies, and taking a nap during work hours. Taking aside emergency calls, try your best to check your phone during breaks. It’s really cool to hang out with your coworkers over a new film, but that could also wait after your shift or during long breaks.

     While nothing’s wrong with what was mentioned, there’s a perfect time for those. Doing such practices during work hours would not only make you look unprofessional towards your coworkers or superiors, but it might also affect your job performance.

👩 💼👨 💻Avoid Workplace Drama 👩 💼👨 💻

      Being connected with your coworkers is amazing. However, try not to fall into the trap of sharing and spreading gossips especially if you know that what you’ve heard is untrue and simply none of your business. Sometimes, gossips are fun; I know that from experience, but it has something to do with what you are gossiping about. Gossip about a new fashion trend, a new drama series, or a conspiracy theory you’ve heard on Youtube, but try your best not to gossip about somebody at work.

      Another way of getting away from gossips is to not overshare things that are not work-related. Separate what should be kept personal and what you could share with your coworkers. At the end of the day, any form of drama at work won’t only create possible disagreements, it won’t also make you any better with your job.

👩 💼👨 💻Don't Be Bossy if You're Not the Boss👩 💼👨 💻

       I don’t care who needs to hear this, but if you are working with other people, you have to learn how to work with them. Learn when to compromise and determine the greater good for everyone at work even if you’re not in the same echelon, let’s say you’re in the managing position. That doesn’t mean that you have to stop managing people, but if your method of leading others doesn’t get you or your workmates anywhere better, think of the things that you have to adjust. It could be your attitude or your personal preferences. 

      I must say that good communication begins with mutual respect. In the workplace, it’s especially true regardless of your work position. Any negative situation arises from bad communication. How we communicate builds our relationship with our coworkers, and it is our relationship with them which would determine the work culture of the company. As I grew older, I learn to focus on the work culture of a company rather than its monetary benefits. Although the latter is important, our emotional being matters more. Work is just part of our lives, it shouldn't be our life.

      In a situation where it cannot be helped and conflict arises at work, try to deal it in a proper way. Refrain from posting about it on Facebook. Lol The best way to do that is by listening to both sides and focusing on what you can learn out of the not-so-good situation.

👩 💼👨 💻Participate in the Company's Activities 👩 💼👨 💻

    Do you want to work with a slacker? I hope not. Try to work not only for yourself but also towards the success of the company you are working for. Participate in the company's efforts in building a strong relationship with you and your coworkers. If needed, don't hesitate to share your knowledge, talents, and skills. Trust me, it will not only benefit your company. It will also help you in becoming a valuable asset of your company and hone whatever skills you have. Chances are, those skills may come handy outside your workplace or when you grow out of your workplace. Moreover, participating in your company's activities will give you the chance to learn something new and have fun with your coworkers.

      Those are some of the things I learn from working and I hope it will be of help when on your current or future working situation. Is there something else that you'd like to add on the list? Scribe them in the comments section below.