It's all about perspective and taking a step back

CNN.com has an article on job stress leading to health problems that I really enjoyed and wanted to share. What I found particularly helpful (and, yes, obvious but that doesn't make it any less valid or important to read every so often (or frequently) for those of us who are memory challenged and often live in the heart of the flame) is the advice on how to deal with difficult bosses and coworkers.

Elizabeth Cohen: In addition to being authors, you're consultants -- people come to you when they're stressed out about work. What's usually bothering them?

Katherine Crowley: Bosses!

Cohen: OK, so let me throw a few stressful bosses at you. Let's say a client tells you, "My boss doesn't appreciate me."

Kathi Elster: You have to detach and depersonalize. You're not going to turn this person into a caring, loving boss. You have to accept you're not going to change this person.

Crowley: That's right -- the stress comes from expecting something you can't get. If you need appreciation and acknowledgment -- which everyone does -- we suggest you find another way. Get colleagues to band together and acknowledge each other. Find other ways within the company to get this appreciation.

Cohen: Here's another one: How about the boss that explodes -- she just yells and screams.

Elster: This is where people take a lot of medication! You have to detach and depersonalize again. Accept that it's not about you, and watch them scream. Act a little bored. You have to see it as the other person's problem.