How do you deal with a dysfunctional workplace?

[snugglegirl05]

I have come to realize that my workplace is dysfunctional...

My employer and the client *the property management company* are both dysfunctional.

How do you deal with this?

[notalwaysright]

I complain here. I'm in school to get a different job. I try to stay out of the larger pockets of drama. I do simple breathing exercises. Sorry, I don't have anything else, but will stay tuned.

[Tama]

I suggest lavender. Great calmer of nerves!

[KuariKaydrith]

I hand out a lot of resumes and jump ship as soon as possible. Until the new job comes along I drink a lot...of tea. And playing video games where you blow things up. It's not wrong to pretend that your targets are really annoying co-irkers or inept managers. At least that is what I tell myself.

[Tama]

Try God of War III. That will be REALLY therapeutic as long as you don't gross out easily.

[KuariKaydrith]

My go-to game is usually the Secret World. Killing multiple zombies and other undead things really helps work out my frustrations

[cindybubbles]

How dysfunctional is it? Is it something you'd see in a Dilbert strip?

[fireheart]

My go-to games tend to be Age of Empires or Rise of Nations, where I can label the "enemy" as whatever the hell's bothering me, then I basically overrun them with power!!!! MWAHAHAHA!!!!

[BPFH]

For me, it used to be No One Lives Forever (either of them - Contract JACK doesn't count). These days it's Bioshock or Bioshock 2 ("X his eyes, Daddy! X his eyes!")

[Thana]

Humor. Lots and lots of humor. It also helps that even though the crew I work with is dysfunctional...we're the "We're all a bit nuts here." sort of dysfunctional. As I've told every newbie "Even though at times it might not seem like we have a line in the sand, we definitely do have a line that we don't cross. We'll stop juuuuuuuuuuuuuuust a hair before crossing it though." Seriously though... If I couldn't laugh and joke around or about my crew members I'd have probably lost my mind months ago.

[Moirae]

Find another job. I learned long ago that if that is the case, they won't change and there's nothing you can say or do to make them.

[Krysalis]

Humor. Lots and lots of humor. It also helps that even though the crew I work with is dysfunctional...we're the "We're all a bit nuts here." sort of dysfunctional. As I've told every newbie "Even though at times it might not seem like we have a line in the sand, we definitely do have a line that we don't cross. We'll stop juuuuuuuuuuuuuuust a hair before crossing it though." Seriously though... If I couldn't laugh and joke around or about my crew members I'd have probably lost my mind months ago.

You and I both. I work the late shift at a store, so I avoid most of the drama, but at the same time, our stuff isn't respected. Someone's keeps stealing things off of my boss's desk, but also other boss's. Including the head boss. Not cool.

Sometimes we will catch the tail end of it, and it'll be like "nopenopenopenotparticipating," and other times they outright blame us for things getting stolen/broken/missing.

I know my crew well enough to know that they wouldn't be kleptos. I know they are honest people, and we're all a little wacky and drive each other nuts, in a good way. But I trust them.

It's finding another job that's the problem...

[MoonCat]

How do I deal with it? Oh, you know, coming in, turning on my computer, logging in, taking off my coat, getting coffee...the usual.

Another day, another dysfunction.

[HiddenMica]

Paintball.

It gets me up and moving around (mostly) friendly people and the ones who piss you off you can LITTERALLY shoot once you get onto the field. It is so refreshing to be able to get up and out and just do something that can get alllll that aggression out and leave you exhausted at the end of the day.

Before I picked up Paintball it was Skiing. Standing up and just cruising down the mountain with the cool air behind you and the beautiful views... Not sure where you are located as that will put a damper on it. I don't have anyone to go with anymore and spending a day alone isn't my idea of a nice day. heh.

[bhskittykatt]

My last job was super-dysfunctional. I solved that by quitting.

Before I quit, I was all about the Billy Blanks Tae-Bo workout DVDs. Would do that immediately after work. I envisioned my targets for each punch and kick. It was a great way to physically work out the stress, and better than ACTUALLY kicking and punching people...