Global Breaking News - Monday, April 29, 2024

Losing an important document (33 per cent)

Having nowhere to park (32 per cent)

Printer not working (31 per cent)

Phone battery dying (31 per cent)

Running out of toilet paper while on the toilet (30 per cent)

Automated customer service lines (26 per cent)

Forgetting your credit card while trying to pay for goods or services (25 per cent)

Withdrawal : Behaviours such as asking for a transfer or quitting a job.

Fixation : An employee blames others and superiors for his problems, without knowing complete facts.

Aggression : Acting in a threatening manner.

Regression : Behaving in an immature and childish manner and may self-pity (to feel sorry for oneself).

Physical Disorder : Physical ailments such as fever, upset stomach, vomiting, etc.

Apathy : Becoming irresponsive and disinterested in the job and his co-workers.

* Frustration is a very common emotional response when we can’t get what we want or 

when things don’t go the way we want them to; when we get blocked

* The more important we perceive the blocked goal, the greater the frustration

* Internal causes of frustration include not achieving personal goals, wants, and needs

* External causes of frustration include being blocked by something outside the person like 

a traffic jam, having to wait on line, etc.

* The ability to manage frustration is directly linked to being positive and happy

* The most common responses to frustration are anger, giving up, a loss of self-confidence, 

and depression

* Frustration can be positive when it motivates a person to achieve or change; frustration 

can be negative when it results in anger, irritability, stress, and depression

* One of the greatest sources of frustration is the feeling of wasting time such as 

being stuck in traffic, waiting on line, being put on hold, etc.

* Another great source of frustration is a sense of powerless when you think things need to 

change and you are unable to do anything about it

* Frustration often leads directly to aggression as when a person gets angry, they may act out 

against the cause of their frustration, i.e. hitting the copier when it doesn’t work

* Frustration can accumulate based on the preceding events; several frustrating situations, 

one after the other, can lead a person to aggressively act out

* Frustration can be decreased by giving up a goal or quitting but it leads to a loss of self-confidence; 

by quitting, one doesn’t develop the confidence or trust in one’s own abilities

* Prolonged frustration leads to stress and depression which not only can cause fatigue, 

anxiety, headaches, etc. but also pessimism and hopelessness

* Emotional reactions of anger and anxiety inhibits one’s ability to decrease frustration and 

may become a bigger problem than the frustrating situation itself

* Other reactions to frustration include alcohol and drug abuse, weight gain and eating problems, 

and addictive behaviors such as gambling, videogame playing, etc.

* Since life is full of frustration, one can never truly eliminate it but one can develop skills and 

strategies to minimize it and not engage in self-destructive behaviors

* Do not take frustration personally and accept that it is a way of life

* Realize that you may not be able to change the frustrating situation but you can change 

how you react to it

* Practice deep breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness exercises to calm down

* Change your thinking and lower your expectations for the situation

* Compromise on your goals or break them down into smaller or partial goals

* Consider getting professional help if your level of frustration does not decrease, 

you engage in aggressive behaviors when frustrated, or your frustration affects your relationships 

and other areas of your life