While it is good to learn how to manage inevitable conflict situations, sometimes we can avoid conflict situations with a little planning and thought. Here are 7 strategies to try:
While it is good to learn how to manage inevitable conflict situations, sometimes we can avoid conflict situations with a little planning and thought. Here are 7 strategies to try:
1) timing around your moods – everyone has times of the day or days of the week when they are more tired, stressed, or irritable – try to be alone during those times, or schedule low-key tasks during those times
2) timing around others’ moods – if someone at home or work tends to be tired, stressed, or irritable at certain times, try to avoid interacting with them during those times
3) SLEEP! this must be a priority – if you are chronically sleep deprived you will be more irritable and more likely to get sucked into conflict
4) if you have high-drama people in your life, consider scheduling routine times to interact with them – if you interact routinely they might be less likely to impulsively contact you with their drama
5) use your schedule to create buffers for stressful activities – for example, if you have a lunch date with a stressful family member, create some time on your schedule after the lunch date to take a long walk by yourself so that you can clear your mind before heading home
6) don’t sweat the little stuff – sometimes if you ignore all the little annoying things someone does, it builds up over time and explodes with a large conflict which confuses the other person – try using the STABEN method (place link to another blog/video here) to address small conflicts before they become large conflicts
7) talk to yourself in the mirror – this may sound extreme, but spending a little time writing down conversation points and practicing them in the mirror might help you avoid a conflict during a difficult conversation with a difficult person
Live Mentally Healthy,
Dr. Jennie Byrne
Dr. Jennie Byrne, M.D., PhDWith over 15 years of medical expertise, Jennie Byrne, MD, PhD, is a board-certified psychiatrist with experience treating mental health conditions in adults, including dementia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and depression. After practicing in New York City for 12 years, Dr. Byrne relocated to North Carolina in 2008; she currently cares for patients in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, at Cognitive Psychiatry of Chapel Hill. Dr. Byrne earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She then received her doctorate from New York University Department of Neurophysiology. She also has a doctorate of medicine from New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Byrne went on to complete a psychiatry residency at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. In addition to her work as a psychiatrist, Dr. Byrne has performed extensive research on attention, memory, and depression. As a board- certified adult psychiatrist, Dr. Byrne focuses on the needs of each patient to pro.