Tips for INFJ Highly Sensitive People to Stay Emotionally Stable in the Workplace

As an INFJ highly sensitive person, learn how to deal with workplace scenarios and maintain emotional stability. Solutions for saying good morning, small talk, lunch, encountering colleagues, and teamwork.

As an INFJ with a highly sensitive personality, I often find myself in a dilemma when it comes to maintaining emotional stability in the workplace. In this article, I will share some tips on how to deal with five common workplace scenarios that can trigger sensitive emotions.

Scenario 1: Saying Good Morning at Work As a highly sensitive person, I worry about whether I should say good morning to everyone in the department. What if I don't get a response? Do I need to look up and actively greet others? I'm afraid of being seen as cold and unfriendly.

Solutions

• Use the same tactics. Learn to say 'Happy New Year' and 'Have a great weekend'. This can give me peace of mind and prevent me from overthinking about others.
• Say 'Good morning' as I pass by people's desks. No need for eye contact and don't worry about whether I get a response.
• Get to know my colleagues and say good morning with their names. Sometimes they might not hear me or might not realize I'm talking to them.

Scenario 2: Small Talk with Colleagues I always feel that I can't keep up with the conversation during small talk with colleagues. I envy those who can make others laugh and feel comfortable. I feel inferior when I compare myself to them.

Solutions

• Don't compare your weaknesses to others' strengths. Maybe your colleagues are in professions that require high emotional intelligence.
• The workplace is forgiving to newcomers. Is being overly smooth always a good thing? Cherish your inexperienced period.
• 'Interpersonal relationships', 'nice words', and 'emotional intelligence' are also important lessons in the workplace. Approach them with a learning attitude instead of blaming yourself.

Scenario 3: Lunch at Work Deciding who to eat with, what to eat, and what to talk about during lunch is exhausting. In a small company, I had to eat with my boss in the pantry every day, which made me tired. As an introvert, I need time alone.

Solutions

• Eat with different people. There's no need to eat with the same person every day.
• Recognize the importance of having lunch with colleagues. In a relaxed environment, you can exchange information and get closer to them by talking about life instead of work.
• Introverts just don't like frequent social interaction. Set aside a day in a week to be alone.
• Find a reliable and like-minded peer. Having lunch with them is enjoyable and relaxing.

Scenario 4: Encountering Colleagues in the Pantry or Corridor I'm afraid of running into colleagues in the pantry or corridor and feel obliged to start a conversation. Just like my colleague who is afraid of taking the elevator with the big boss, I also feel awkward.

Solutions

• Put the burden of awkwardness on others or the boss. As a subordinate, the boss can naturally ask about your work and life.
• If the other person doesn't respond as expected, they might be busy. Don't overthink it. Work is just work. Highly sensitive people don't need to be liked by everyone.

Scenario 5: Teamwork with Multiple Deadlines As a highly sensitive person, I always hesitate for a few seconds before asking colleagues for help. I find teamwork exhausting, especially when there are many deadlines.

Solutions

• At the beginning of each day, make a list of deadlines, even if it's just 'check numbers with XX'. This can help me break down the fear of the unknown.

As a highly sensitive person, I can notice the details in work and interpersonal relationships. I can learn from these experiences and become a more self-aware and comfortable person in the workplace. Remember, your feelings and preferences are the most important. We all need to love ourselves more.

Finally, I want to recommend my podcast 'Self-Love Practitioner'. If you have listened to 'Not on Tight Schedule', yes, I have changed my account and restarted. We are all learning to love ourselves on the journey of life. By constantly exploring, we can know ourselves better, treat ourselves better, improve ourselves, and love ourselves more.