In the present era we are all stressed by the deadlines, which not only affect our performance but also that of our colleagues.
Though we cannot control their behavior, we can take charge of our own.
There are obvious ways to tamp down the stress you inflict on others, such as refraining from yelling or making sarcastic comments. But those are only the most visible ways one risks alienating one’s coworkers; to truly stop the office pathology, you have to look deeper.
An article in hbr.org lists out a few strategies that can come in handy to under stress and frustration
The first step is not being vague. If you send a late-night email to a coworker that says, 'We need to talk,' without further explanation, that can trigger an unhelpful cascade: Is there a problem? What did I do? Is s/he going to reprimand me?
Some people leave vague messages because they’re in a rush- tapping out a quick text or leaving a voicemail en route to the airport and don’t realise the impact they have.
Other people deliberately leverage vague messages as a power play, knowing they’ll make others wonder and worry. Either way, it inflicts an inexcusable psychic toll.
We should be prompt in replying to the mails that needs our immediate attention.
When you delay responding to these specific, targeted messages, it’s not you being 'focused on what’s most important' or even 'slightly distracted.' It’s being obstructionist, which creates negative ripple effects throughout the organisation. Even if you’re heads down and have sworn off email for days or weeks to accomplish a priority mission, spend at least 15 minutes a day tagging the most important, time-sensitive messages that have come in, so that you can respond appropriately.
This will show that you are a team player and that makes every one's life easier.
It is too irritating to always monitor your colleagues unwillingly. If you’re a perfectionist, or feel a keen sense of responsibility about a given project, you might feel tempted to watch their every move to ensure they’re performing, on time and on budget. That’s a laudable impulse, but the net result is that your colleagues will feel hounded, mistrusted, and micromanaged.
Work with the team to establish a timeline for the progress and check in only at appropriate times. This also eases the pressure on both sides giving your colleagues some time to work freely.
Making the workplace stress free can enable you to get better results and you can do your part to stop the contagion of workplace stress.