How to take care of a colleague who is going through a rough time in office

Ups and Downs are a part of life. There are many people who try to handle all their problems themselves, but when they are unable to do so, they resort to resort to discussing it with one, not just for advice but also for comfort and support. The person in this case chooses someone who he trusts a lot.

When a friend asks for help, or talks about his problems, he should not be taken lightly. You never know how bad the situation is. Some problems may just sound stupid and small but you have no idea how big the problem may be in your friens head. Being there for someone who needs is the best thing that you can do for your friend in such situation. Your presence may do the magic of comforting your friend.

Especially nowadays, here are so many problems in jobs. There are so many cases in which a person can feel depressed in office. It maybe the fear of not performing well enough, or just not liking the job. Your friend maybe feeling discriminated or unappreciated. Or simply, they may just be feeling overburdened. At this point of time, you need to know that being there for them is very important.

To help them, you can do many small things. In these situations it is the small things that matter the most. Make them feel wanted, comforted and happy in general.

1. Listen to them: When people go through a rough time, all they really need is to know is that someone is there for them. It is not always important to give advice, what is important is to understand them, to help them realize that they are not alone and everything is going to be just fine. Discussing problems with someone is very tough and if your friend has decided to talk to you about something, listen to them. Don’t underestimate the issue. Listen to them patiently, don’t make them feel that you are uninterested. Try to comfort them as much as you can just by your presence. Sometimes actions can do things that words cannot. Don’t interrupt them, let them complete. You can never know how serious the issue is until you know the whole thing.

2. Let them know you are there for them: When a person is very sad, he often tends to think that he is the one at fault. He feels unwanted, unloved, misunderstood and a goes into a lot of self-doubt. The problem may be a small thing for you but it may be a huge thing for them. You never know what the consequences will be. If your friend has chosen you to discuss the problem, don’t let them down. Try to help them as much as possible. Be there for them whenever possible. Comfort them whenever they need it, listen to all their issue. It is not important to talk all the time, just be with them, and spend time with them.

3. Help them whenever they need you: when someone is going through a rough time, what he really needs is support. You can never really know how much they are affected by the issue. Support them as much as you can, maybe you are the only one who knows. If he has shared his problems with you, he really trusts you and needs you. Don’t take his problems lightly. Try to help them as much as you can.

4. Advise them- Tell them your views on the issue, but don’t push your views too hard on them. Understand the whole problem well and then imagine what you would do in the same situation. Be as clear as possible, don’t confuse them. Don’t tell them it is their fault if they are already feeling very low. Give them time, talk to them properly. Try to understand them. Let them talk as much as they want to.

5. Always encourage them: Letting them know that they need to keep going. Making them feel good, and telling them that everything is going to be okay is very important. There are equal shares of ups and downs in life, help them understand that nothing is permanent and this problem will also pass. Tell them that everything happens for a reason and they cannot see the whole picture right now. Don’t start blaming them for stuff. Tell them that everything can be corrected. Every problem can be handled.

6. Check in over time: talking to them once is not the solution. Getting over an issue takes time and it is very easy to go into depression during a rough patch in life. Be with them, spend time with them. Help them see the happiness in life. Stop them from thinking too much about the issue. Maybe the only support they need is to be with someone, someone who understands them.

7. Make them feel happy: sometimes, all people need is a sprinkle of laughter. It is true that some problems do not have solutions, the only solution is to learn to live with them. The best way to help them in such situations is helping them take their minds off the problem as much as possible. Just thinking about the problem is never helpful. Ask them to think about the good things in their life, remind them how happy they have been and how happy they can still be. Talk to them about the things they like. Take them to the places they like. It is not very difficult to make people happy. Just try to do so, that will be enough.

Nowadays, feeling depressed is not uncommon. At a point in life, every person goes through a rough patch, it might not have a reason behind it. Every person reaches his breaking point at some time. To be able to handle the situation well at that time is very important. To find a friend in such situations is a blessing. After all, a friend in need is a friend indeed. Being that friend who is available, to help your friend in this time is very important. This life is to help people, to connect with them and to make them happy. Give a little sunshine to every friend of yours. Make them as happy as possible.