Working in a toxic work environment can be incredibly challenging and can have long-lasting impacts on your overall well-being. It can be emotionally draining, and may cause anxiety, depression or other mental health issues. Additionally, it can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach problems and more.
There are a variety of reasons why a workplace might become toxic and unfortunately, if you are reading this blog post, you are likely familiar with things like poor leadership or management, high stress, low morale, lack of communication, discrimination, harassment or prioritization of profit over people. When profit is the primary focus, important considerations such as employee well-being, work-life balance, and ethical business practices are often overlooked. This can lead to a lack of support for employees and a disregard for their overall health and well-being.
It is important to prioritize self-care in these situations to prevent burnout and mitigate the negative effects of the space. In this post, we offer you 7 steps to take care of yourself in a toxic work environment. The last one might surprise you, but it is often the most important step to consider.
1. Focus on What You Can Control
It's important to remember that you can't control the behavior of others, but you can control your own reactions and how you handle situations. Focus on what you can control, and act in accordance with your personal and professional values. Especially working in civic and cultural sectors and nonprofits, it can be easy to feel responsible for others or for situations and dynamics that are actually outside of our spheres of influence. Communicate transparently and share your concerns with your supervisor or HR department, but remember that you do not need to be or feel responsible for outcomes outside of your actual role.
2. Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries is an important life skill in general, but it is especially crucial in a toxic work environment. Toxic workplaces will often exploit your labor, demand more beyond your job description without compensation, require you to overwork or put in an inhumane number of hours… and this is only the tip of the iceberg. Boundaries are ways that you can protect your energy and labor, and enable you to make space for more ease at work and in life. This can include saying no to tasks that are beyond your job description or asking for help when you need it. It's important to make it clear to your coworkers and superiors what you are and are not willing to tolerate. Boundaries are necessary parts of any healthy relationship, including at work, so give yourself permission to have them unapologetically. Remember… boundaries don’t have to feel harsh or punitive. According to Prentis Hemphill, an embodiment practitioner, writer, and Director of The Embodiment Institute:
“Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously. Boundaries give us the space to do the work of loving ourselves. They might be, actually, the first and fundamental expression of self-love. They also give us the space to love and witness others as they are, even those that have hurt us.”
3. Practice Self-Care, Rest and Find Joy
Taking care of yourself is crucial in any work environment, but it's especially important in a toxic one. This can include taking breaks throughout the day, practicing mindfulness or meditation, and engaging in hobbies or activities that bring you joy outside of work.
One of the sources we often look to at OF/BY/FOR ALL is Tricia Hersey, the creator of the Nap Ministry and author of Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto. Her stance on rest is rooted in a place of healing and human rights. She says:
“Our drive and obsession to always be in a state of “productivity” leads us to the path of exhaustion, guilt, and shame. We falsely believe we are not doing enough and that we must always be guiding our lives toward more labor. The distinction that must be repeated as many times as necessary is this: We are not resting to be productive. We are resting simply because it is our divine right to do so.”
4. Decompress After Work
When you leave work, it's important to find ways to decompress and let go of the stress from the day. A stressful work environment can have our nervous system on constant overdrive for the majority of the day. It’s important to find the time to re-ground and reset, connect with your body and needs, and create intention to release whatever you may be holding onto from earlier in the day. This can include going for a walk, exercising, taking a relaxing bath, or engaging in a calming activity like reading or listening to music.
5. Seek Support
It's important to have a support system in place when working in a toxic environment. This can include talking to a therapist or counselor, confiding in a trusted coworker, talking to HR or a supervisor about the issues in the workplace, seeking support from friends and family outside of work, or seeking legal advice if necessary. It can be really helpful to get another point of view on the issues you are facing at work to put things in perspective or gain more clarity about the dynamics present and the options that might be available to you to help you figure out how to navigate those dynamics. It can also feel great to just vent a little bit to someone who is able to be understanding and empathetic. Additionally, if you are being abused or mistreated at work, it’s important to bring this to the attention of someone with the power to be able to intervene and hold people accountable as necessary. If there are any fears of retaliation or punishment for doing so, be sure to do your research, know your rights, and understand what recourse is available to you both within your organization, as well as legally.
6. Start a Conversation
Self-care can also sometimes look like community care. If you’re feeling that there are conditions that are unjust, not working, and/or decreasing happiness and impact, you’re probably not the only one who feels that way. If there is an opportunity in a team meeting or other appropriate space, bring your concerns to the table with the intention to start a dialogue. If you do not have the power or influence to get such a conversation started, consider collaborating with a supervisor or colleague who can support your voice being heard. Sometimes dynamics and situations can simmer beneath the surface, and they simply need to be named. Naming the issue(s) can surface real systemic or structural problems or gaps, and once these things are surfaced, it becomes more possible to shift and change. Perhaps there are some things within the organization or as individuals that can be unlearned. If there are harmful or irrelevant practices causing toxic dynamics in your organization, try OF/BY/FOR ALL’s Unlearning Tool, a five-step process to unlearn harmful practices and behaviors. The Unlearning process can be a great way to not only self-reflect individually, but to also catalyze more conversation about harmful and toxic practices and behaviors within the organization that can hopefully be addressed by the appropriate decision-makers.
7. Prioritize Yourself & Consider Quitting Your Job
It's easy to blame yourself for the toxic environment or to feel like you're not doing enough to fix the situation. Remember that it's not your fault and that you're not responsible for the behavior of others or the culture of the organization. Be kind to yourself and focus on taking care of your own well-being first and foremost.
If you've tried all of these tips and the toxic work environment is still negatively affecting your mental and physical health to the point where it is unsustainable, it may be time to look for new opportunities, and ultimately, quit your job. While this can be a difficult decision, and not one to enter into lightly, it's important to prioritize your wellbeing, as well as your values. Quitting your job IS in fact an option, and you should never feel stuck in a place that is unhealthy for you. Don’t wait until you’re completely burnt out and at your wits’ end before considering this step. Really take the time to reflect for yourself on whether or not your job is truly aligned with your values and goals, and know there are other opportunities out there that could be in better alignment. Seek them. Remember that you deserve to work in an environment that is positive and supportive, and it's okay to put yourself first. Talk with friends, colleagues, and mentors, get some job referrals, start updating your resume, and put yourself out there. Don’t forget to assess any new opportunity for values fit and healthy work culture.
We All Deserve Care
Taking care of yourself in a toxic work environment is not easy, but it is necessary. It is also important to remind yourself that you are not alone, although it may seem so at times. Research conducted last year by MIT Sloan School of Management showed about 30 million, or one in nine, US workers experience their workplace as toxic, due to toxic social norms, toxic leadership or poorly designed jobs. Unfortunately, there are many other people just like you. In a world where hyper-productivity, exploitation, overwork, burnout, and worker maltreatment is the norm, it takes a lot of intention and commitment to engage in radical resistance of these White Supremacist and Capitalist norms toward a culture and personal ethos of wellbeing. We all deserve rest, ease, agency, and reciprocity in all areas of our lives, including work. If you feel comfortable, speak to your coworkers about engaging in generative conversations and practicing actions centered in self-care and community care in the workplace. These can help to de-normalize toxic behaviors and restore professional spaces to healthy environments rooted in mutual respect and employee well-being.
