If you are a senior manager, how do you switch off from staff issues when not at work?

[WestYorkshireGirl]

I manage a large team, some of whom are great and some who are going through formal performance management. I am obviously getting a lot of unpleasant emails and behaviour, but have good support from line manager and some from a HR team. I am struggling to prevent it being on my mind all the time, Especially evenings and weekends. Any tips that work for others? Thanks

[DraenorQueen]

I'm SLT in a large school and currently doing interim performance managements. There is an unpleasant atmosphere at work at the moment; I know a couple of people have said some less than pleasant things about me and I'm choosing to switch off by means of 2 large glasses of red a night. Not good. But could be worse.

[Eachleechsparethumb]

I find it very hard. Watching Netflix or drinking

[Chottie]

I'm currently in the middle of a restructure and the behaviour of some people has to be seen to be believed. (!) I've overheard people having a moan about me too, I just shrug it off and accept that being a manager means that people will talk about you and you have to give people messages they don't want to hear.

While I am work I work hard, but when my computer switches off, I go home and switch off by making sure that I have a life outside of work. I go to the gym, I garden, I knit, I meet up with friends and family, it keeps things in proportion. I spend time doing things I enjoy and that bring me pleasure.

Stay strong and don't let a few people grind you down. In a nutshell, if they just got on and did their jobs, you wouldn't have to be on their back on the time.

[Chottie]

p.s. make sure you take all your holiday entitlement too.

[LBOCS2]

I'm on maternity leave at the moment so I'm not having to deal with anything like that, but DH does and is quite new to this sort of role. He comes home and tells me, vents a bit over a stiff G&T.

[Iloveahotcrossbun]

Vent to my husband, poor thing. And watch TV for a bit of escapism. But I tend to work in my own time most evenings and not switch off to be honest

[daisychain01]

Best thing I find is to rationalise everything. For people who are "behaving badly" I see it as a sign of stress or insecurity. If job conditions change and the environment feels insecure, people will react accordingly.

If you can take the view that everyone has their problems, stresses whatever, it may help deflect the feeling it's aimed at you personally. Hard though it is, can you be the big person even while people are unpleasant to you? Maybe a nice word spoken, or an empathetic action will show people that you can relate to them on a human level. You aren't trying to be their friend, as such, but you are taking your management responsibilities seriously and being professional even when they're being an arse back to you