Toxic work environment? 6 ways to maintain your sanity when your job is draining you

Not only can heading into a toxic work environment feel draining but it can take a real toll on your overall health and wellbeing. Whether you’re dealing with challenging colleagues, a micromanaging boss or unrealistic expectations it’s essential to have some tricks up your sleeve to get you through these difficult situations. So, using my unique perspective and experience of helping corporate clients, I've put together my top six strategies for maintaining your sanity in a toxic work environment.

Set realistic boundaries

It is essential to have harmony between your role and responsibilities and your personal wellbeing. If you’re combatting unrealistic expectations then creating and communicating boundaries can be key.

Identify your biggest stressors and establish limits on how much time and energy you can realistically invest before it begins to have a negative impact on your wellbeing. This might involve setting specific working hours, learning to say no when necessary or understanding how to communicate that taking on additional responsibilities is unmanageable.

Take regular breaks

Many productivity techniques utilise the benefits of taking regular breaks to increase efficiency. Taking that time to grab a quick snack or check in with a colleague allows you to recharge during the day, making it easier to cope with a challenging environment. This is even more prevalent now with the rise of hybrid working as the lines between work and home become more blurred.

Take some time at the end of the day to offload any thoughts or tasks for the next day onto a piece of paper to allow your brain to fully disconnect from work, whilst still being able to pick up where you left off the next morning. Particularly if you’re working from home, make sure your computer is fully shut down and any unnecessary work notifications are silenced!

Unplug at the end of the day

During the week, it can be easy to fall into a cycle of arriving home, grabbing something to eat and heading to bed just to wake up the next day and head into work again. This leaves us simply living for the weekend, but why should we? Making time for your exercise, hobbies or seeing loved ones before or after work will keep you motivated and excited throughout the week, having a positive impact on your productivity at work.

The 5-9 before or after the 9-5 is a trend that has swept across TikTok as creators show how they spend their time outside of working hours. Early risers use their time to journal, do yoga or hit the gym those after work can usually be seen cooking, hitting the gym or getting time outside.

Focus on what you can control

It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by factors which are out of your control. Instead of dwelling on the things that you can’t change, ask yourself - what can I control? Your attitude, actions and aspirations are a great place to start!

It can be helpful to physically write a list that differentiates the things you cannot control, the things you can influence and the things you can control. Once you’ve identified the areas that you can make a positive impact, invest your energy in them and you’ll find yourself better equipped to stay afloat in what can be, a sea of negativity.

Seek support

Trusted friends, family or colleagues can be great support when navigating toxic work environments. By sharing your experiences you can gain alternative persectives and advice which can have a positive impact on how you approach the situation.

If your working environment is having a significant impact on your health, don’t hesitate to speak to HR or a mental health professional if needed.

So there you have it! Navigating a toxic work environment is never easy and if it’s having a negative impact on your happiness and wellbeing it may be worth considering a change. Sometimes, it’s not you – it’s them.