Energy vampires are those people that walk into a room and suck the positive vibes out almost immediately. It can be tough to deal with an energy vampire and you may even wonder if you are one. Anyone who works in an office is aware of how rough things can get. Perhaps a constantly burned pot of coffee awaits you each day or your office chair causes more pain than comfort. Worst of all is having an energy vampire in your midst. They can drain an entire team of people of vitality and take down a company from the inside if they are left unchecked. When you are around energy vampires, you end up feeling depressed and sick.
If you have an energy vampire in your midst, report them to HR because spending long hours in an office with someone like this can be toxic. There is a chance you may be an energy vampire. While we can all be whiney or control freaks at times, make sure to be mindful of those times and make a positive change. Do not be offended if someone points these qualities out to you, take it as an opportunity to improve. Knowing how to spot these energy vampires is important, so we have shared some tips below.
Know the Types
There are several different types of energy vampires. Knowing the types can help you identify people in your life or office that can create a toxic environment. One type is the drama queen who wears you out with constant drama. When you run into a drama queen, keep interactions short and use body language to show a lack of interest. Do not feed the drama and they will get bored and move on quickly. Next is the victim who always declares their victimhood in every situation. Their victimhood will spread and make the workplace toxic quickly. Fear is a virus that can make work a horrible place to be which means the company is more likely to fail. If you run into a “victim” tell them you understand how they feel, but everyone needs to remain positive. Finally, you have the narcissist who is typically the hardest to deal with because they tend to be bosses. The only way to deal with a narcissist is to frame things to show how it helps them because they lack empathy.
Just Refuse
Though energy vampires are often unaware of what they are doing, feeding off your energy, they cannot steal your energy if you refuse to react. Give them nothing.
Change the Story
If you are being confronted with negativity, face it with positivity. Show the positive side of issues with solutions. Surrendering certain patterns, habits, and assumptions are essential to creating better relationships and being happier. Let go of the old patterns of dealing tiwh people and start showing positivity. This is a powerful step.
Are You an Emotional Vampire?
We all have an emotional vampire inside us and it most often comes out when we are stressed. Be able to admit that you are draining people and then change when needed. Some of the common indicators of vampires are shared below:
- People avoid your gaze
- People glaze over when you talk
- You are self-obsessed
- You are continually negative
- You gossip
- You are controlling
- You are overly critical
If these describe you, it is time to make a change. Be honest with yourself and correct the problem.
Dealing with Energy Vampires: Dos and Don’ts
Do
- Be Calm
- Avoid defensiveness
- Patiently hear someone out without interrupting
- Empathize even if you disagree
- Pick your battles and apologize if needed
Don’t
- Shame people
- Be sucked into drama
- Hold onto resentments
- React impulsively out of anger or fear
- Attempt to manage the lives of others
