We always speak about walking a mile in someone’s shoes before we speak about their situation, but this always feels like too much work. For some of us, we show corporate courtesy at the least because we can no longer afford to empathize – to both our coworkers and customers. In all honesty, this is quite understandable. However, there are many ways to show kindness and empathy without emotionally draining ourselves.
Here are some tips you can incorporate into your daily work life:
Taking a pause before you respond
Many things can happen at work, and we may encounter a rollercoaster of emotions in a single day. That is why, whenever we encounter something intense, always take a step back and take a pause. In contrast to the common suggestion: think before you speak, we encourage you to pause instead, because we may not always have the bandwidth to respond appropriately. This also applies when you’re the one experiencing stress at work – take a pause.
Offering support or solutions
While it is not professional to take your personal problems to work, we cannot deny how these can affect our performance. So, if you happen to be aware of someone’s problems, you can approach it in two ways: offer a solution or support. Just be careful not to put too much on your plate. Helping is good, but don’t be keen to solve other people’s problems for them. This is also a way to establish healthy boundaries.
Putting yourself first.
Lastly, you need to care for yourself first. This doesn’t mean that you blame others and save yourself. By putting yourself first, we acknowledge the idea that we can’t offer others the kindness we don’t give to ourselves. That being said, this practice comes with simple acts like eating on time, getting enough sleep, and surrounding yourself with people who genuinely care about you. When you’re used to being surrounded with kindness, it will flow out of you naturally.
Empathy may come as a challenge, but this is essential in our interactions as humans.
Let us know in the comments how you practice empathy in your own workplaces.
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