Beware your kindest colleagues

What happens when we’re not feeling well, or when we’re feeling overwhelmed at work? Often, we turn to our colleagues for support. But what happens when that support doesn’t come, or it’s not as helpful as we’d hoped?

When we’re all in the same boat, it’s tricky to get a different perspective. Even well-meaning advice from a colleague can feel misplaced or missing the mark, as it’s shaped by their own experiences and limitations. This can leave us feeling resentful and even more stressed than before.

We need to look outside our immediate work environment, to seek out “useless friends”, understand why we’re asking for advice and be clear about what we hope to gain from it.

In this quick dip episode, Rachel lays out where to seek help when we’re stressed, and some pitfalls to watch out for.

Our colleagues – even the most supportive ones – mean well. But often, so do those who aren’t in a position to help. So we need to make sure to get an outside perspective so we don’t become resentful or frustrated, and damage our work relationships.

Listen to this episode to

Handle disappointment if colleagues aren’t able to support you
Find friends who can give you an unbiased perspective
Pinpoint your needs, set clear expectations, and avoid the pitfalls of short-term solutions