Emotional Hygiene at Work: What It Is and Why No One Teaches It
Emotional Hygiene at Work: What It Is and Why No One Teaches It
Most of us were taught to keep our desks clean, our inboxes tidy, and our time well-managed.
But no one ever pulled us aside and said, “Hey—here’s how to take care of your emotions after a brutal meeting.”
And yet, if you’ve ever walked out of a Zoom room feeling like you need a shower, you already understand the concept: emotional hygiene.
It’s the practice of cleaning up after emotional strain—especially the kind that builds slowly over time. And in a toxic workplace, it’s not a luxury. It’s a survival skill.
What Is Emotional Hygiene?
Think of emotional hygiene the same way you think of brushing your teeth.
You do it every day—not because something is wrong, but because you know what happens if you don’t.
At work, emotional hygiene means developing habits and boundaries that keep stress from compounding. It’s not just deep breathing and bubble baths. It’s the micro-decisions you make to protect your well-being when the pressure’s on.
Why Toxic Workplaces Make It So Hard
In healthy environments, emotional hygiene might just look like stepping outside, venting to a colleague, or taking a real lunch break.
But in a toxic workplace? You’re too busy dodging landmines to think about boundaries. You’re navigating:
🔥 Fire drills that replace real priorities
🙃 “Feedback” that’s really about power
😐 Emotional labor that’s invisible and unacknowledged
😰 Culture where overwork is glorified and burnout is mistaken for drive
All of this adds up. Without tools to process it, we internalize it. And the result isn’t just stress—it’s depletion.
Three Ways to Start Practicing Emotional Hygiene Today
You don’t have to overhaul your whole life to feel better. You just need a few tools to clear the emotional gunk before it builds up. Here’s where to start:
1. Post-Interaction Reset
After a tense meeting or draining interaction, take 90 seconds to breathe deeply, unclench your jaw, and shake it off—literally. Your nervous system holds on to micro-stress. Give it permission to let go.
2. Name What’s Yours (And What Isn’t)
Toxic environments blur emotional boundaries. Start labeling what emotions are actually yours and which ones you’re absorbing from others. Try this line:
“I’m noticing tension in the room—but I don’t think it belongs to me.”
3. Micro-Boundary Scripts
Create go-to phrases that protect your emotional bandwidth without feeling confrontational. A few favorites:
“Let’s put a pin in this and circle back tomorrow.”
“I’m at capacity for now—can we revisit this later?”
“I hear you, and I need a moment to reflect before responding.”
You’re Not Overreacting—You’re Over-absorbing
If work feels harder than it used to, you’re not imagining it. Toxic dynamics chip away at emotional endurance. But when you learn how to protect your energy on purpose, you stop feeling like you're barely surviving—and start reclaiming your capacity.
Want more tools like this?
Register for our new webinar Coping With Work and get exclusive access to the Coping With Work Toolkit—plus live support and Q&A with Laurie & Crimson.
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