How to Deal With Your Workplace Pet Peeves - The Muse

How to Deal With Your Workplace Pet Peeves - The MuseHow to Deal With Your Workplace Pet Peeves After going through the whole job search process and landing an awesome position that you abflug settling in at, it happens. The co-worker sitting beside you starts chewing gum. Very loudly, I might add. Its distracting you from getting your tasks done (and, frankly, its pretty gross to listen to all day long). Looking around, no one else seems to have issues with it. Would I seem mean if I ask herbei to stop? you ask yourself. Shes such a nice person to work with- I wouldnt want to seem high-maintenance.So you suffer in silence.If this sounds familiar to you, you probably know what its like to have a few pet peeves in the office. And while you might think these are tiny details in the bigger picture (at least you have a steady job and livable wage), its ultimately better for your health (and sanity) for you to confront these small irritations and do your best to mitigate them. So, heres a list of all the things that ever bothered you at work- and how to get over them accordingly.Inappropriate Co-worker Behavior (at Least by Your Standards)A large amount of office problems can be attributed to the lovely people you see and share space with every day your colleagues. Some of the less-than-lovely things they might be doing with their time includeClipping their nailsEating pungent foodWearing strong perfume or cologneWhistling, humming, or singingChewing gumComplaining (incessantly)Wearing clothing thats too casualMaking personal callsTaking their shoes offHow to DealThe good news is that while these activities seem like they last forever in the moment, they usually do end. So, the best thing you can do is remove yourself from the environment- either physically to a new space or mentally with some headphones- to get a breather. If some of these seem like more repeat offenses, its OK to recognize how they may be negatively affecting your ability to work. Dont be afraid t o bring up the annoyance to the person or raise the issue with a supervisor to see how best to go forward. It can be as simple as saying, Listening to people chew gum is one of my biggest pet peeves, do you mind chewing a little more quietly. And, if theres anything Im doing thats bothering you, please dont hesitate to tell me. Keep in mind Tone is everything in these conversations. More often than not, the offender in this case doesnt realize his or her habits are affecting anyone else- meaning he or she will go out of the way to rectify them.Communication MishapsUnless youre a communication wizard, youve probably faced some of these irritating things Long email chainsHitting reply allAwkward phone callsMeetings that perpetually start or end lateUnnecessary CC-ingBasic grammar mistakesNot responding after repeated follow-upsInterruptingHow to DealLets just start by saying that these small things tend to bother most people (if not all). How to handle it? Trial and error Ask politely to be excluded from chains, gently point out recurring issues, or try to find the root of the issue and remedy it. For example Are people always running late for meetings because they have back-to-back meetings? Yes? Try moving your weekly check-in to a different day then. Or, if a lot of team members seem to be struggling with the same issue, bring it up to your manager to see if he or she wants to address it. But remember, at the end of the day, everyone slips up with mistakes like these (including you), so try to take a deep breath if its a one-time thing. Also, as annoying as this fact is, things like awkward phone calls are simply a part of being a working professional.Work EnvironmentHere are a few things that happen in the office that you arent exactly in control of Too hot or too cold temperatureA really loud working environment Disorganized shared workspacesA fridge stuffed with old leftoversCluttered desksHow to DealWhile any one of these can certainly be annoying working conditions, a lot of it is out of your control. The good news? That means you dont have to put in a whole lot of effort toward changing it- all you have to do is bring up your concerns with a supervisor or an office manager. Odds are he or she will have some kind of solution on hand (since you arent the first person to be too cold in an office). With that said, even if a solution isnt offered to you- you can often find a workaround headphones for a loud office, an office sweatshirt for high AC days, and so on. Ideal? No. But a fix? Yes.And, if its something more communal, like end-of-day kitchen messiness that you always end up dealing with because it bothers you so much, you can also be proactive and organize a team of like-minded individuals who are willing to volunteer some time to tidy up. That way, you can all put in five minutes into cleaning up, rather than doing it all yourself. Plus, it should send a friendly reminder to the rest of the office.As with most pet peeves, espe cially ones you encounter often, the common options are to face the problem or to get over it. Just be careful how you decide to confront someone- dont be accusatory or hostile. Sometimes the best way to get people to understand where youre coming from is to be honest and speak from your own perspective. No one (hopefully) wants to be the annoying co-worker, so addressing the issue head on can often be the solution youre looking for. And if any of these pet peeves resonate with you, then you can rest assured that youre not the only person whose co-workers are driving you crazy.What are your minor office annoyances? Tweet me caroqliu and let me knowPhoto of annoyed person courtesy of Hero Images/Getty Images.