A receptionist’s life is not without bad days. It might be because of a bad night’s sleep, an upset caller, too many things to balance all at one time – whatever the reason is, the fact still remains: it’s vital for your survival in the industry to know how to deal when you’re having a bad day.
Here are some ways that might be able to help:
Admit you’re in a bad mood. Forcing yourself to immediately feel better when in a bad mood only makes you feel worse. The thing to do when feeling down is just to accept the feeling. It’s not that bad. Just admit you’re not your normal cheery self. Remember, the easiest way for you to solve a problem is to recognize it.
Share. When you pretend to be in a good mood even though you’re not, people will still notice. This might be misconstrued and can cause rifts, so the best way to deal is sharing what you feel at that moment. When you answer the phone and do a super friendly voice, instead of making people think you’re fine, they might find it creepy. Be candid and tell the people you interact with that you’re not feeling that well that day. Say,”Hey, I’m sorry, but I’m just not in the mood for stuff today. I don’t know why, and I’m trying to deal with it. But if I snap at you, consider this an advance apology.”
Reflect. And try to start within. It’s very easy to blame other people or outside circumstances for our feeling crabby. Like, that caller who told you you were a bad receptionist. Or the driver who cut you off earlier that morning. Or the awful coffee they were serving at the cafeteria. However, such bad disposition isn’t always caused by something tangible. Sometimes, we just wake up on the wrong side of the bed, or just feel like crap, or maybe are coming down with something. Avoid wasting your time justifying your bad mood. Just accept it and try to move on.
Think happy thoughts. Not as easy at first but don’t strain yourself when doing this. Just try to remember something that usually makes you smile. Do you like singing? Pick your favorite tune and belt it out. Do you have vacation time coming up? Make plans. Find things that you like or look forward to. And next time you feel crabby, look into those thoughts.
Start over. Regroup. You don’t have to wait until the next day to start your whole day over. Act on it now. Leave your desk for a while – not too long that your bosses organize a search party – just long enough to get your head back in the game. Getting some fresh air or a cup of tea in solitude might just do the trick.
Prevent future bad moods. Or, at least, give it a try. Make an effort to have a nice start of your day. Sleep early so you aren’t tired and testy in the morning. Eat breakfast to make sure you don’t bog down in the middle of the day. Start early so you don’t feel harried. Small things that can make or break your day. “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.”
It’s your job as a receptionist to be at your best. However, being in a bad mood is not the end of the world. A mark of an exceptional virtual receptionist is an outstanding skill in solving issues. Just always acknowledge the feeling and then work your way to getting over it. Or, if all else fails, just fake it till you make it.