What to do when you loathe your co-workers

IT'S a well-known fact that working in an office environment can be stressful at the best of times - but when you don't get along with your fellow colleagues, life can become almost unbearable.

Philip Hayton, one of the BBC's longest-serving newsreaders, apparently felt that way when he quit the corporation after 37 years, citing 'incompatibility' issues with his co-presenter Kate Silverton.

Mike Fisher, author of Beating Anger and founder of the British Association of Anger Management, said: "Too many people I meet tell me that they would never dream of telling their colleagues why they are angry or irritated for fear of causing conflict in the office environment.

"But if it is not dealt with, this conflict then spills over into other areas of life - such as home or personal lives - and could eventually lead to a huge, dramatic bust-up in front of everybody in the office, which nobody wants.

"In these situations, you should always try to set a dedicated time, suitable for both of you, to sit down and explain in a constructive way why you are angry, sad and hurt by this person."

EMERGENCY PLANNING

If you really feel that your anger is going to boil over at work and you think you are going to lose your temper there and then, Fisher recommends trying one or more of the following calming strategies:

l Breathe deeply, count to seven on the in breath and 11 on the out breath.

l Remind yourself to keep your cool.

l Remove yourself from the situation physically and emotionally if possible.

l Count backwards from 20 to one.

l Go for a short walk if possible, ideally in a park or open space.

l Visualise a calm tranquil place for about two minutes.

l Let go of any expectations you might have and remember that life is unfair!