Let’s be for real, adulting is a scam. They promised us independence and “dream jobs,” but they forgot to mention that a huge part of being a professional is spent sharing a desk (or a Slack channel) with someone who absolutely gets on your last nerve.
Whether it’s the person who repeats your ideas in meetings and takes the credit, or the one whose “per my last email” tone is total passive aggressive energy, we’ve all been there. If you’re currently taking extra-long coffee breaks just to avoid a specific coworker, this is your survival guide.
The Podcast: A Survival Guide
I sat down to talk about the reality of navigating those “I actually can’t stand you” work relationships. Listen to the full episode below while you scroll.
3 Rules For Protecting Your Peace
If you don’t have time for the full pod right now, here are the “Non-Negotiables” for surviving the week:
- Filter the Behavior, Not the Person: Stop telling yourself “I hate them.” Start saying “I don’t like that they miss deadlines.” It makes the problem something you can manage rather than a personality clash that drains you.
- The Grey Rock Method: Become as interesting as a literal grey rock. Be polite, be professional, but give them zero personal info. If they have no “tea,” they have no power.
- Keep the Receipts: Documentation isn’t petty, it’s professional. Always follow up chatting in the kitchen with a quick email confirming what was said.
And that’s how you handle it like a pro. But because we’re all human, sometimes we just want to see someone say what we’re all thinking. This TikTok is the ultimate ‘office politics’ fantasy.
Now, for the actual scripts you can use tomorrow.
The Workplace Survival Cheat Sheet
| The Situation | The Impulse Reaction (Don’t!) | The Pro Move (Do!) |
| They take credit for your work. | Snap at them in the meeting. | “I’m so glad you liked that point I raised, here’s the data I found to back it up.” |
| They are being rude/short. | Give them the same energy back. | “It sounds like you’re stressed, let’s catch up when we can be more productive.” |
| You’re stuck on a group project. | Do all the work yourself. | Assign clear, documented tasks so their progress (or lack of it) is visible. |
Wrapping Up Now
At the end of the day, your career is a marathon and this person is just a tiny speed bump. Don’t let someone you don’t even like take up so much space in your head for free.
Have a coworker horror story? (Don’t use names!) Tell us in the comments how you handled it.
