4 Things to Do If You Hate Your Boss

By Madison White on April 13, 2020

You may love your job and find it both rewarding and stimulating. You find your coworkers pleasant and the requirements manageable. There is one problem though, you hate dealing with your boss. A bad boss doesn’t have to be a total deal-breaker with a few tips and tricks to help you get through it.

1. Figure out what it is you don’t like about them

Working with a boss you hate can take over your entire life, not just your work life. You might be replaying conversations in your head and dwelling on the way things went. Sometimes, just because we’ve decided we don’t like a person, we can be doubly critical of every action they take whether or not they are actually good or bad.

So you don’t like your boss? That’s fine. Loads of people have been in your situation before. What specifically don’t you like? Saying simply, “I hate them” isn’t very productive and doesn’t help you understand the root of what’s going on. Maybe you dislike the way they manage things if they are too nit-picky or too unorganized. Maybe you dislike the way they talk to people and find it disrespectful. Maybe you dislike the way they are not conscious of how much time they take up out of their employees’ workday. Whatever it is, it can be a good idea to try and nail down what the real issue is so you can isolate your feelings. Most of the time, it just comes down to a difference of opinion in work and management styles. Also, you can also daydream about what you would do differently in these situations.

2. Learn to manage uncomfortable situations

One reason some people hate their bosses is the ridiculous things they feel they must do. These can range from unpaid overtime to running silly favors to working on things that aren’t in their job description. When all of these things begin to stack up, the hatred can really deepen.

Sometimes this is more of an issue of dealing with these situations than it is of your boss themselves. You may want to ask gentle questions around why you’re being asked to do these things and how they relate to the parameters of your job. If you have another manager in your company, try talking to them about the situation as well and see if you can’t get it resolved.

3. Know how to bite your tongue

Everyone deals with disliking someone differently. Some people just avoid them and fall silent while fuming internally while others will lash out every time. Unfortunately, in the workplace, there really aren’t too many ways to deal with this because you almost always have to bite your tongue.

For some, this will be extremely difficult and sometimes office culture can be misleading. If your company values honesty and generally has a casual attitude, you may feel it acceptable to vent your frustrations freely. Proceed with caution. While it may seem that voicing your opinions is valued, you need to make sure you aren’t stepping over any lines. After all, your boss is still your boss and could remove you from your job if you are becoming difficult to work with. In some cases, it is necessary to speak up, but when it comes to just generally disliking someone, keep it to yourself.

Another thing that tempts people is to vent about their boss to their coworkers. I would also advise not to do this because you never know who is listening and what their intentions are. They could have different opinions or be close to the person you are venting about. You definitely don’t want to be pulled into the boss’s office over something you let slip over happy hour.

4. Manage the stress in a healthy way

Dealing with a difficult boss and having to keep your opinions to yourself can often develop into some unhealthy habits. You don’t want to let these things settle and start to destroy your relationships, friendships, eating habits, and more. Try being proactive and finding an outlet to relieve stress or let out anger in a healthy way. Often, the most successful habits are types of exercise. Different types of exercise work for different kinds of people. For some, doing relaxing yoga every day can help ease their mind and make them feel less angry. For others, they may need to do some intense workouts like kickboxing or cross-fit to stay sane. Whatever it is, make sure that you keep on top of this routine to stay healthy and sane at work.

Conclusion

A terrible boss can be largely fixed just with a few simple changes like isolating what you dislike, altering your mindset, avoid certain situations, and finding healthy outlets.

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