Managing Emotions at Work: The Power of Self-Awareness and Regulation
- Jonathan H. Westover, PhD
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
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Abstract: This article effective strategies for managing emotions at work through self-awareness and regulation. After establishing the evolutionary and situational bases of workplace emotions, it advocates developing insight into one's own emotional tendencies and patterns through self-monitoring, reflective journaling, and feedback seeking. Specific regulation techniques are reviewed with corresponding research support, including situation selection/modification, attentional deployment, cognitive change, and response modulation. Concrete examples demonstrate emotionally agile professionals across industries applying awareness and different responses constructively. The article concludes by emphasizing emotional fitness as an ongoing reflective process that cultivates resilience through understanding reactions from within and consciously choosing responses over reactions. Maintaining these skills optimizes well-being, performance, relationships and work quality for professionals long-term.
Successful careers and lives depend on our ability to navigate emotions skillfully. As professionals, we are expected to remain calm, focused and in control even during stressful times. However, the emotional realities of work often mean navigating complex feelings that can trip us up if not addressed. This brief aims to provide a foundation for understanding and managing emotions at work through self-awareness and regulation. After reviewing relevant research, I will offer concrete examples and steps any professional can take to optimize their emotional well-being.
The Origins of Workplace Emotions
To manage emotions effectively, we must first understand where they come from. At their root, emotions serve an evolutionary purpose - they mobilize our thoughts and behaviors to respond to demands and opportunities in our environment (Darwin, 1872). Work inevitably triggers a range of emotions as we navigate relationships, tasks, deadlines and setbacks. Two factors in particular contribute to our emotional experiences on the job:
Personality and temperament. Our innate traits determine how readily we experience and express certain emotions. For example, some are more prone to anxiety while others bounce back quickly from setbacks (Costa & McCrae, 1992).
Situational triggers. Events in our work lives like conflicts, difficult clients or unrealistic demands can ignite strong emotions that others may not share (Lazarus, 1991).
Together, our inherent nature and external circumstances shape the emotional climate of any given workday. Awareness of these underlying factors helps us gain perspective and respond constructively.
Self-Awareness: The First Step to Emotional Mastery
Effective emotion regulation begins with self-awareness - understanding our own emotional patterns, influences and tendencies. Several strategies can foster greater insight:
Monitor your feelings. Pay attention to bodily sensations, thoughts and behaviors associated with emotions as they arise at work. Where and when do you commonly experience different feelings? (Gross & Thompson, 2007)
Reflection journaling. At the end of each day or week, take stock of emotional experiences and look for patterns over time. How did your reactions today compare to past similar situations? (Pennebaker & Smyth, 2016)
Seek feedback from others. Ask trusted colleagues for objective observations about how your demeanor or reactions come across in different contexts. Be open to both positive and constructive comments. (Brackett & Salovey, 2006)
With practice, self-awareness enables us to identify emotional triggers, recognize feelings sooner and gather data to inform our regulation strategies. It represents a critical step toward consciously managing our inner and outer work experiences.
Regulation Strategies: Responding Constructively to Emotions
Once aware of emotional tendencies, we can experiment with various regulation techniques suited to different work situations (Gross, 1998):
Situation Selection and Modification
Avoid known triggers when possible by redirecting a challenging conversation or delegate difficult tasks
Adapt situations proactively, such as scheduling buffer time between meetings or taking a walk at stressful periods
Attentional Deployment
Shift focus from an upsetting event to work tasks requiring concentration, like data analysis or detailed writing
Reframe challenges in a more positive, opportunity-oriented light
Cognitive Change
Challenge unhelpful anxious thoughts with rational alternatives focused on problem-solving rather than catastrophe
Adopt an optimistic explanatory style attributing setbacks to external, temporary factors versus pessimism (Seligman, 2006)
Response Modulation
Express emotions appropriately through body language and tone of voice relative to cultural/industry norms
Use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing during conflicts or high-stress periods (Benson, 1975)
The above self-regulation strategies have demonstrated effectiveness when applied mindfully based on situational demands (Gross, 2015). Experimenting identifies our most adaptive approaches.
Emotional Agility in Practice
Concretely applying awareness and regulation looks different across industries and job functions. Here are examples of emotionally agile professionals:
A consultant recognizes frustration is building with a challenging client but suppresses irritation and redirects the conversation productively.
An executive who openly shares vulnerability about past career setbacks to inspire resilience in her team facing criticism.
A teacher remains calm yet authoritative when students act out, empathizing with their emotions while refocusing energy on the lesson.
A customer service rep apologizes for a shipping error with genuine care versus defensiveness, deescalating an angry customer's emotions.
In each case, self-awareness of inherent tendencies and adaptive regulation of feelings in the moment enabled these professionals to manage emotions constructively. Such agility fosters not only well-being but strong relationships and performance over the long-term.
Conclusion: Cultivating Lifelong Emotional Fitness
Managing emotions represents an ongoing reflective process rather than a one-time solution. Just as physical fitness waxes and wanes, our emotional resilience will face ebbs and flows. However, maintaining self-awareness habits and expanding our regulation "toolbox" equips us to handle challenges that inevitably arise in careers and relationships.
Overall, focusing first on understanding our emotions from within gives us perspective and empathy and empowers us to consciously respond versus react to life's demands. This ongoing "work" on emotional intelligence enables professionals to bring our best, most focused selves consistently to every interaction, project and problem we face. In so doing, we optimize well-being, performance and the quality of our work itself.
References
Benson, H. (1975). The relaxation response. Psychiatry, 38(1), 37-46.
Brackett, M. A., & Salovey, P. (2006). Measuring emotional intelligence with the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso emotional intelligence test and other tools. Psicothema, 18, 34-41.
Costa, P. T., & McCrae, R. R. (1992). Normal personality assessment in clinical practice: The NEO Personality Inventory. Psychological assessment, 4(1), 5.
Darwin, C. (1872). The expression of the emotions in man and animals. London: John Murray.
Gross, J. J. (1998). The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Review of general psychology, 2(3), 271-299.
Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological inquiry, 26(1), 1-26.
Gross, J. J., & Thompson, R. A. (2007). Emotion regulation: Conceptual foundations. In Gross, J.J. (Ed.), Handbook of emotion regulation (pp. 3-24). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.
Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Emotion and adaptation. New York, NY, US: Oxford University Press.
Pennebaker, J. W., & Smyth, J. M. (2016). Opening up by writing it down: How expressive writing improves health and ease mental stress. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Seligman, M. E. (2006). Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life. Vintage.203.
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Associate Dean and Director of HR Programs (WGU); Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD/HR/Leadership Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2026). Managing Emotions at Work: The Power of Self-Awareness and Regulation. Human Capital Leadership Review, 31(1). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.31.1.7
