3 Ways to Escape Office Drama

3 Ways to Escape Office Drama3 Ways to Escape Office DramaEver left the office and realize you havent heard one positive comment all day- or week? Whether your office is going through a round of lay-offs or management changes, or everyone is just feeling overworked and overwhelmed, general malaise in the corporate platzsetting can get the best of us. After all, theres nothing that burnt-out, exhausted, stressed-out employees love more than adding fuel to the fire of workplace negativity (well, free pizza may rank a touch higher).So how to navigate the office melodrama when it really gets going? Pitching in and gossiping with the best of them is never the right answer, but you dont have to go all Pollyanna on anyone, either. Here are some easy ways to rise above the riff-raff and keep your head in the game.1.Excuse YourselfPerhaps the easiest way to avoid water-cooler gossip is to simply remove yourself from the situation. By not immersing yourself in that environment, you avoid the n egativity and can keep your own personal morale in the black. Plus it prevents you from throwing your hat in the ring and saying something ugly yourself (dont be that girl). Ideally, some of your co-workers will take the hint and head back to their desks before long, too.2.platzdeckchen BoundariesSome amount of chit-chat and banter can be funny and help to give everyone a few minutes break from a big project. But the danger is that it can also turn into an all-out venting and commiseration session where people begin to say things that, at best, they regret and, at worst, can get them into trouble with HR.Set boundaries for yourself so that you dont get onto the slippery slope of the blahs. Allow yourself a few minutes in the break room in the afternoon with some pals, but if the conversation turns toward any lightning rod topics, jump in and steer it toward safer (and happier) ground.3.Be the ChangeHeres what I personally find the most satisfying (at least from a karma perspective) being the change. If you want to see the spirit of your team, department, or company move in a positive direction, set the example that youd like to see in others.When you hear less-than-uplifting comments about a co-worker, suggest that she is probably doing the best she can, and give an example. If you sense that the team is a bit disconnected and down, invite everyone out for an impromptu lunch. If your break room or proverbial water-cooler area tends to be a gathering spot for negativity, set out some crossword puzzles or trivia cards and encourage others to engage in more upbeat activities. Bring donuts on a Friday. Plan a happy hour. Nominate yourself as the morale cheerleader and go with it.Bonus If youre truly effective in this regard, you can bet management will pick up on it (and there aint nothin wrong with looking good in front of the higher-ups when promotions and raises are involved).Lets face it Theres a reason why Dilbert and Office Space resonate with corporate empl oyees all over the world- sometimes work sucks. But the reality is that we have to make a go of it, and youre going to be spending a good part of your waking hours in that office. The only thing you can really control is you, so empower yourself to make your workplace the best environment possible.Photo courtesy of David Castillo Dominici.