Good Ways To Cope With Horrible Days
Bad days. We all have them, and oh, how we loathe them.
We asked seven women in a variety of fields to describe their worst days at work and their strategies for coping.
Arlee Jensen, senior vice president of merchandising and product development for Garden Botanika, a national skin- and body-care retailer in Redmond, Wash.: “Trucks have disappeared between our headquarters and a new store that’s having its grand opening. And I have to find the truck. I say to myself, ‘This is not possible in the real world.’ But the reality is, I go on a mission impossible to find the truck, and I allow my frustration to bubble to the point where I can laugh my way through it.
“I believe that expressing frustration is a big form of coping. Mourning the problem is of little value. But I do love to scream bloody murder in my car on the way home. I always feel much better after doing that.”
Carrie Lannon, director of promotions for Hotel Inter-Continental Chicago: “For me, a bad day is when there are so many calls and faxes coming in that I’m in a reaction mode. I don’t have time to be pro-active. Add to that a glitch like the printer doesn’t have all the invitations I’ve ordered.
“To lift my spirits, I look through one of the humor books I keep on my desk, and after 15 minutes, I usually feel refreshed. That night I clean my loft because I find it takes my mind off work and makes me feel in control.”
Hannah Romberg, owner of Roast of the Town Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz.-based manufacturer of Caffeinds, a line of coffees, teas and confections: “A bad day is when every client calls because they’re out of our products and need to see us that afternoon. My response is, ‘What do you need to get through the day? Tomorrow we’ll deal with what you need to get through the week.’
“Then I go out for a nice dinner. When you have a really bad day, you don’t have any option but to pamper yourself.”
Barbara Provus, principal and founder of Shepherd Bueschel & Provus Inc., an executive search firm in Chicago: “In a client-service business there are many fires that must be extinguished, and you can’t always predict when and where they’ll be.
“A bad day is when I place my ‘to do’ list on my desk but don’t look at it again until 6 p.m. because I’ve done nothing but put out fires. At home I unwind by watching the American Movie Classics channel. I could watch ‘An Affair to Remember’ 200 times without ever being bored.”
Arlis McLean, vice president for human resources at Fel-Pro Inc., in Skokie, Ill.: “I hate it when I go the extra mile for employees, and then they do whatever disastrous thing I’ve advised them against doing - for example, having a confrontation with their boss. I take a deep breath and say, ‘The next one will be better.’
“I try not to let those situations poison me for the future because I really don’t want to stop going the extra mile for people.”
Ellen Silverman, Realtor with RE/MAX Lincoln Park, in Chicago: “Residential real estate is a very emotional business. A bad day is when so many clients are complaining - ‘Why isn’t my house sold?’ or ‘Why isn’t the seller of our new house being more cooperative?’ - that I don’t have the time I’d like to devote to each one.
“After a wave of activity subsides, I trade war stories with colleagues. It’s comforting to get sympathy from people who understand your predicament.”
Patti Upton, founder and chief executive officer of Aromatique, a home fragrance manufacturer in Heber Springs, Ark.: “A bad day is when an employee I’ve spent nine months training and who’s doing a super job quits because their spouse has been transferred. I just want to strangle them, but I smile and say, ‘We’re surely going to miss you.’
“I rant and rave and stomp around my office. But then I try to think super-positive thoughts so I won’t take my wrath out on those around me. After work, I get a Bud Light and kick back at home.”
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