Difficult work colleagues, how to cope.

[Nackajory]

Just wondering if you have experience of working with people whom you find difficult and draining, what coping strategies do you have? There's been a grievance raised by someone who causes the very problems she complains about. Most of the time I cope quite well with such things but on this occasion I just want to curl up in a ball and eat chocolate until she's gone away (she's not going anywhere anytime soon).
Give me your resilience tips please, oh wise mners.

Do you have to talk to her ie boss , college on shared project ? if not then just dont talk to her , easier said than done i know.

If you do have to talk to her you can go one of two ways .
Tough it out and ignore ( as best as you can ) her comments and complaints
or
when she does something that riles you say something like , oh I have a friend / neighbour / ex-work mate that does that its so annoying , you would never

Not the best person to answer this as I have just been bullied out of my job by two vile witches. Just wanted to sympathise, it is bloomin awful when all you want to do is your job and go home again.

Are you working with them physically or working from home?

Whenever I’ve had difficult working situations I’ve found doing things to make myself feel detached from the surroundings like using earphones helps. Do something to make the end of work definitive so you can switch off, depends on circumstances but a walk home to switch off.

Also as easy as it is to say, I do resolve that these people aren’t worrying about me so why should I suffer by being consumed by them.

If you don’t work with them directly, ignore bar a polite nod/good morning. If you do work with them directly, I’d be challenging them to a point (the point where they don’t raise a bloody grievance!) by saying ‘That’s offensive, please don’t say that‘ or ‘I have no idea why you are being so downright unpleasant’. The classic ‘That is a very unprofessional thing to say”.

If you can, sit away from them in the office (if you are office based). This person sounds like a mood hoover.

Be polite and professional but not a microbe more.