6 Ways to Manage Microagressions in the Workplace
"Day after day, these insults and indignities can add up, “death by 1,000 cuts,” causing anxiety, stress, anger, and, over time, depression. These effects on our mental health can manifest as physical problems, like headaches and muscle tension when we are faced with certain people or situations. The impact may be more serious if you have already experienced racial trauma, an accumulation of negative racialized experiences.
How to Manage the Microaggressions
When it comes to microaggressions, you don’t have to just take them and suffer to keep the peace. Here are tips to handle them gracefully and protect your well-being:
Don’t let even small slights slide. If a colleague or stranger reaches out to touch your hair, you are perfectly within your rights to say, “That makes me uncomfortable.”
Write about it. To cope with microaggressions, it might be helpful to express your feelings in writing. Try this structured writing exercise below, from psychotherapist and writing-for-healing expert Kathleen Adams, to help you go deeper in exploring those feelings:
I want to write about...
The first thing that comes to mind is...
Below the surface I find...
The challenge here is...
In order to move forward, I...
I can ask for help/support from...
My next step is...
Commiserate with your sister circle. Share what happened with peers who will understand and affirm your feelings. They can help you cope and have a good laugh at the same time.
Consider speaking up. If a microaggression or macroaggression is really bothering you or is repeated, it may be time to take a stand.
Respond with an “I” statement. Start with, “I feel _______ when you say/do this.” It may be that you simply felt uncomfortable or diminished. Keep the focus on the impact on you rather than the person’s bad behavior."
Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!
Reflection:
Have you had to deal with microaggressions at work? What else do you think we can do to deal with them?
#MicroAgressions #Workplace #Communication
@comfortableNight4463
Very important post!
I have not had to deal with microagressions personally.
I think writing about it is an amazing approach!
Thanks for sharing the article!💛💫
@innateJoy9602 Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Spreading awareness is very important.
@comfortableNight4463
I'm blessed to have co-workers that have not yet done displaying microaggression and also would be considerate to stop if they do! But will keep this in mind for the future if I ever change work places.
@sunnyWriting4806 I'm glad you haven't experienced it. It's good that you're aware of what to do in case it does happen. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
