Almost everyone needs to deal with annoying coworkers at some point in their careers. Waking up in the morning and dreading the fact that you'll inevitably run into that obnoxious coworker can impact your overall work performance and mood. Although you can't change the behaviors or personalities of your irritating coworkers, you also don't need to suffer endlessly. 

Be Direct
Your coworkers might unknowingly act in obnoxious or annoying ways simply because they aren't aware of the way their behavior affects others. Perhaps they don't realize how they come across because no one else has had the nerve to tell them thus far. Confronting your coworker can take confidence and all of your assertiveness skills, but you have a right to a peaceful work environment. While it's no guarantee that their behavior will change, letting your coworkers know that their behavior or actions are interfering with your ability to do your job might help alleviate the situation.

Avoid Gossip
Annoying coworkers can drain your energy, leave you feeling frustrated and make you feel like a dark cloud is following you around. While it might be tempting to gossip about your obnoxious coworker with other colleagues, gossip inevitably comes back to bite you in the long run. And gossiping might change the tides and turn you into the annoying coworker in the eyes of your colleagues.

Use White Noise
Some of the most annoying coworkers tend to be the ones whose voices you can't drown out no matter how hard you try. You might overhear them chatting loudly on the phone with their spouses or friends or complaining to others about their workplace woes. Perhaps you can't close your office door or you don't feel comfortable addressing your concerns directly with your coworker. If you wish you could tune her out or at least reduce her volume, consider using a white noise machine or generator. Relatively inexpensive white noise machines can be purchased in most electronics and home goods stores, or you can use one of the many free white noise generators available online.

Breathe, Laugh and Be Positive
Despite your best efforts, there are times when there's nothing you can do about an annoying, obnoxious coworker. Instead of focusing on his or her behavior and stewing in silence, try to take a more positive, forgiving approach. When you start to feel stressed or bothered, take a short break, get some air and practice deep breathing.

Deep-breathing exercises can help you re-focus and calm down so you don't blow up or act out toward your coworker. It won't change their behavior, but trying to see the situation from a humorous and more relaxed perspective might help you cope.

While it might take some practice and confidence, changing the way you interact with your annoying coworkers may help to minimize their effect on you.

By Dusan Radonjic