I have been working some form of a part-time job since I was fourteen years old. From locally owned ice cream and boba shops to big brand retailers, you name it, I’ve probably worked it. It has been an emotional rollercoaster, encountering all types of different people on a daily basis.
Both of these are environments filled with overwhelming factors, and the innate need to meet the customer’s level of satisfaction. People can be incredibly snarky when requesting something or in what they perceive as an “issue” with those who are working to provide them with a service. So, here are a few tips I’ve picked up in order to have thick skin in these work environments.
Tip one: Know your limits
Having a tough mentality is no easy feat when being bombarded with orders, snide comments, and tasks in your workplace. Yet, having a strong mindset lies in knowing who you are as a person and when you need to step away. It may sound odd but taking a step back by taking a break after a rude encounter for example, fortifies your mentality and can prepare you for whatever is to come. This is better than trying to stick it out and drain your energy.
Tip two: Hold your ground
Although you don’t need to be the aggressor, don’t let customers walk all over you. Speak in a steady and collected voice in order to communicate your standpoint without being disrespectful. Being overly kind yet stern in speaking to rude customers seems to de-escalate the situation as opposed to emotionally overloading it. As a personal anecdote, one of my first nights working at my current job, a man came in screaming and swearing at us. This was because someone had picked up his mobile order and he was viscerally upset. Fear of altercation set in for me and I left the situation before it progressed. Luckily, I left before he punched another customer in the head as I probably would have had a bigger meltdown (yes, we called the cops). Point being, don’t stick around in a situation where you sense it may get worse from there.
Tip three: You’re not defined by your job
It may feel dehumanizing to feel like you only exist to provide for others. Detaching yourself from the title that your job gives you provides so much more solace than allowing it to follow you around everywhere. I had to distance myself in order to realize that this job is not a part of me, it is just something I do in order to help myself financially. There is no unique characteristic of yourself that is provided by your job or taken away by it.
Lastly, please don’t settle for less, loves. If the job environment is mentally or physically taxing beyond your limits, you can always find a better and healthier alternative.
Jess <3