How to stop being annoyed

Do you ever get annoyed at work? Your colleagues are carrying on and for some reason it just starts to get under your skin – may be the annoyance occurs for reasons that you just can't explain. Well this is exactly what happened to me yesterday at work. I'd like to share with you what I did to overcome the annoyance.

After sitting there and slowly getting annoyed, I considered my options, I could ask at them to quieten down, which would have just broken down our working relationship. In any case they were just letting off steam, it was my issue that I was annoyed. I attempted to distract myself from the annoyance, usually I'd walk away – however being at work this was not an option.

So this is what I did, I got an image in my mind which represented being calm to me. For me, such an image is the beach – well, on this occasion that is the image that jumped into my mind.

With the beach image present in my mind, I then attempted to hear the waves, the waves began breaking over the sand, the waves had a real smashing sound that waves have. As I continued to hear the waves, I began to feel the sand between my toes as I imaged walking along the beach.

Now, my mind began completing the picture, as this occurred the annoyance from my colleagues faded away. I could feel a light sea breeze gently hitting my face, the breeze moved through my hair, it had just enough power to to lift my hair slightly from my scalp. My face felt the sun, it was warm, but not hot, a pleasant feeling.

By this time, I'm sitting at my desk in a 23 story building, down town in a capital city – my mind had transported me to a beach, where the waves are gently breaking over the sand, my feet are feeling the cool sand – as I walk the pressure of my steps force the sand to gently spread my toes with each step. Wind and sun, passed over my face, the wind gliding through my hair as the sun warms my skin.

For you, it may not be the beach that offers a calming space, it might be a bush walk, through a tropical forest or it might be a picnic in the botanical gardens. What ever it is, bring the image into your mind and let the annoyance fade away.

Craig Birrell
BSocWk, BBusStud, GCertAdultCareerDev, GradDipVocEd&Train GradDipCouns, MEd

Craig holds several academic qualifications in human service, which he actively incorporates into his work. He has a specific interest in equity issues, social roles and occupational issues. Craig also likes to explore ways the Internet and open source software can be utilised in his work

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