Negativity is contagious. As we spend a big part of the day with our coworkers, they tend to have an effect on our mood and sharing your workspace with a negative person can make you feel contaminated with negativity after you leave for your home after work.

Toxic people have constant complains with life and people. As you share a big portion of your day in workplace, it can test your patience to spend hours with someone who has nagging issues. So, the experience can be really pathetic and you might end up your day feeling irritated and stressed out.

So, if you are suffering from venomous effects of having a toxic coworker, let us help you with the following 9 tips:

1. Be Empathetic But Only When It is Needed
Negative people tend to see things through negative eyes. As a human, you can empathize with your colleague but extend your support only when the person is willing to change his attitude. However, you should not lend a shoulder to cry on when the intention is only to gain more sympathy. Even if you are compelled by your kind nature, you should know when the person genuinely needs your moral support and when he only needs sympathy.

2.Listen to the Person
Sometimes, negative people are a victim of workplace prejudices. As a coworker, you should lend an ear to their complaints and reservations. Listening to their grievances will help you understand his side of story. As a considerate coworker, you should convey their grievances to concerned authority, if it can solve their problem.

3.Be a Mentor
If you are someone who is considered as an intellectual in your circles, you can help your toxic colleague see the dark sides of life through your eyes. You need to help the person understand that everyone has their share of bad experiences and how a positive attitude can change your life for good. It is possible that your inspiring thoughts change his way of thinking and he starts seeing good things in life.

4.Don’t Take It Personally
Don’t feel hurt when a negative person hits you emotionally with his harsh words. Remember that a toxic person has behavior issues and he is never happy with anyone. Often, negative persons are attention-seekers who show their bad behavior just to attract sympathy of the people. By reacting to their grudges, you will only give them reasons to get more people on their side.

5.Be Conscious of Topics of Discussion
Often, negative people are triggered by certain topics they feel strongly about. Knowing those topics will help you avoid pressing emotional buttons during a conversation. Instead of making them feel annoyed with sensitive topics, you should talk to them about positive things of life. Use your sense of humor as an opportunity to lighten the mood of the person and let him see brighter side of life. You should share a joke or tell a story that ends on positive takeaways.

6.Don’t Be a Sitting Duck
A nagging negative person does not always have an agenda. Even for something as trivial as finding help with essay, they tend to make a mountain out of molehill. When they nag with you, it is just their way of venting out their stress. Therefore, you should not allow a negative person gain sympathy at your expense. You should not encourage a toxic person to take you as a soft target to throw their venom. Stand for your self-respect and let the person know that even you can talk back.

7.Find a Professional Solution
Working with a negative person can be irritating to the extent that it can affect your life. If a negative person starts controlling your life, it is about time to take a professional approach and communicate the matter with people in authority. You need to convey your concerns on the issues to your manager or human resources personnel so that they can mediate in the matter.

8.Accept the Person
When all fails and you cannot do anything about a negative person, then it is better to accept the person the way he is. You can even consider changing your job if this is a possibility. But, if your job is too cool to lose, then it is better to accept the person stay in the job. Though, it is difficult to stay with a nagging person all the time, you should take it as a small price of the bigger benefits you get from your job.

9.Avoid the Person
If a negative person resorts to his venomous thinking even after all your attempts, then it is better maintain a distance with him. Remember that you have no control over a person who is not willing to change. If your sincere efforts fail to convince the person to see positivity in life, it is better to let him live with his self-imposed negativity.

Dealing with a negative coworker can be difficult. Bearing with the negativity and keeping your focus on work can be challenging at times. These guidelines will serve you to coexist with a toxic person in your workplace.