You Cried at Work... Now What?

We are all human, so why do people still get caught up in the stigma that crying at work, or just crying in general, makes you weak? People cry at work. It happens. It might be because they received bad feedback or dealt with an unfortunate work situation, are going through something outside of work, or are just having your run-of-the-mill stressful day. For anyone who has gone through this, it’s never comfortable. It’s also not the end of the world, though.

So, what can you do to recover and move forward after crying at work?

Give Yourself a Minute

Don’t try to jump right back into what you were doing. Instead, take the time and space you need to work through the emotions and refocus. You can’t be your best self if you’re emotionally checked out of what you’re doing, work-related or not. While you work back to your Zen self, it’s important not to shame yourself for crying at work. Rather, talk to your inner self with compassion. Then, forgive yourself for crying at work and move on.

Keep Things in Perspective

Crying at work does not garner you an automatic pink slip. It’s also not career-ending. Crying at work is more normal than you think. In fact, 69% of workers said crying from time to time was okay, or crying had no adverse effect at all. Instead, it actually showed a human side in an environment that can sometimes lean more emotionless. No one else is paying as much attention to you as you. So most likely, the impact you think your cry at work has, it doesn’t. Get out of your own head, recover, and move on.

Explain, But Don’t Apologize

Everyone feels emotions. Whether they are willing to act on them or not is the difference. However, if you do have a reaction that prompts crying at work, there’s no need to apologize. Instead, explain it when necessary. This doesn’t mean sending a mass email detailing why you cried but consider who else was impacted by it. Who did you lose it in front of? Colleagues might be concerned about why you were crying, so those are the people you should provide an explanation for. It’s helpful for them to know why you cried. That way, they can recognize triggers and either help to calm you down or stay out of your way.

Plan For Future Tears

Not that anyone wants to cry at work more than once, but it’s still a possibility it can happen again. If that’s the case, have a plan for how you will address and get past it. First, determine what it is that sets you off and avoid those situations. If you feel the tears coming, remove yourself to a private area to release, de-stress, and return to work. If there’s something going on that takes away from your focus at work, use PTO to excuse yourself and recharge outside of the workplace.

Seek Out Help if Needed

Think about why you are crying at work. Is it because of a work-related situation? Are there things occurring outside of the office that you’re bringing in with you to cause the waterworks? Whatever the case, do your best to evaluate the situation and reduce stressors that might be causing it. Mental health is just as important as eating right and exercising, so don’t forget about checking in with yourself in that facet, as well.

Have you ever had a good cry at work? (Who hasn’t.) How did you respond to it, and would you do anything differently? Share your thoughts by commenting below.