The Snarky Voice in Your Head Is Killing Your Productivity; Here’s How to Stop It

[LiveNudePolitics]

Snark is pervasive, we almost all have our snarky moments.....but, some times its just snark for snark's sake! After getting beaten up by trolls in one of my fave haunts on the net, I needed the insight of this little gem:

The Snarky Voice in Your Head Is Killing Your Productivity; Here’s How to Stop It

By Alan Henry, posted at Lifehacker.com

There's a jerk inside all of us: we roll our eyes when someone in line has a complicated order, curse at little old ladies who don't drive fast enough, and sneer at people who are just too happy. Over time, that snark kills our productivity and poisons our relationships. Here's how to keep your inner asshole in check.

There's a difference between being occasionally sarcastic and a little derisive in your head, but when negativity becomes your default reaction, you have a problem. You may have had a wake-up moment, much like Anna Holmes, founding editor of Jezebel, had when she realized she was sneering at someone for no reason other than that the person was happy. Here's what she said on Twitter:

Just rolled my eyes at a woman skipping happily across 42nd Street. Then I realized I'M the asshole.

Read complete post: http://lifehacker.com/5921655/the-snarky-voice-in-your-head-is-killing-your-productivity-heres-how-to-stop-it

[Scootaloo]

1. There's actually a good cure... but you'll laugh

Well, two things really.

1) Weed. Pot is a huge cynicism-killer. That person ahead of you prdering a complicated cup of coffee isn't bothering you. They're giving you more time to decide which muffin will be coming home with you. That said... this is not a good solution if you're looking to be productive.

the second solution... well... It's the weirdest thing, but for the longest time I found myself being an angry, snarly person (I'm sure this is a big surprise to everyone here!) but once I stumbled on this solution... it kinda sucked all that right out of the system. that solution is...

2) Ponies. No, not kidding. Cute little cartoon ponies. It's so effective that the Swedish Pirate party uses "pony time" when meetings get too heated. Apparently ponies are very good for productivity, but if you're worried about looking awkward while wearing a "20% cooler" T-shirt, you may want to stick to having red eyes and reeking of nag champa.

[LiveNudePolitics]

4. both great suggestions

I am already working on one! Thanks!

[kestrel91316]

6. I have noticed how my little evening pleasure/sleep aid does help with

the pissy-ness.

[tama]

10. Thanks nt

[roguevalley]

12. there is also forgiveness and acknowledging what

most asshats won't, the other person's humanity.

I have LOATHED three people for twenty-five years because they made my life hell on the job. One now has cancer, recurring. The other has alzheimers. The third has heart trouble.

I realized that I didn't want them to continue their residency inside my head and body causing me illness too so I worked at it. I forgave them. Everyday I had to forgive them until it stuck. A memory will still spark a reaction but the reaction fades almost immediately.

I forgave them, I acknowledged their humanity for ME, not for them and in the end I helped all our souls i think. They may owe me karma but I told the universe that I didn't expect any repayment for what they owed me. I let it go. I now no longer test as a diabetic, I have lost 100 pounds and I love to exercise and think about the good in the world.

I used to vent on this list and say shit that I shouldn't. I used to fight on threads because that is what I was then. i was abusing people on this list because I hated the those three people and took it out on people here without knowing why. When I let it go, when I decided that love really was the only answer, that seeing the other person as what they are-a soul that is intrinsically good having a shit life by their choice sometimes- then I recovered.

I wish to apologize from the bottom of my heart to anyone on this list at anytime, that I might have offended you, didn't see your humanity, didn't consider you rexperiences and how you might be right and i be wrong or contributed to your day in a negative way in any fashion whatsoever. I am not god. I don't know everything. I have made a vow when I bitch slapped my ego into the back of my mind that I would do good as much as I could. This place is so important to me and all of you I love. We may disagree but that's okay. You are you with your experiences and I am me with mine. Nothing is more important than love.

I love everyone on this list. Including the assholes. (I hope a sarcasm smilie isn't necessary)

[Scootaloo]

13. Oh, definitely

I've been watching grudges and the labor of hatred eat my mother alive for years now. I can understand why she has some of these grudges but... the people behind them are fifteen years past and thousands of miles away. I don't expect her to forget, or even forgive, but if I could find some way to help her just... I don't know, set it aside, move past it...

[Habibi]

14. Wow, you are way, way ahead of me in the spiritual courage department.

I copied and pasted your message to a Word doc that I will save and re-read. The forgiveness thing is *so* tough for me, and yet I know I need to do it. Thank you for so honestly sharing your experience!

[roguevalley]

15. You know, Habibi, it gets easier as you go. Truly it does.

it helps to know that you are asking negative people to stop living in your head. I wish you all the peace and forgiveness in the world. If you can tell you ego to leave the control room, nothing is too hard after that.

Hugs and love.

[Betsy Ross]

2. Thanks for posting.

I forwarded this to a friend who is really dealing with this.

[Brigid]

3. Great read!

And some of the comments from people who have decided they've become just too damned snarky are downright refreshing. One says they keep a "snark journal," in which they write about when they are snarky to somone for no reason; and another says they keep a "gratitude journal," in which they write every day about things they are grateful for. Pretty good ideas, no?

[LiveNudePolitics]

5. That article was just the ticket

for me, I was taking some mean lady's comments personally on another site. I never snark on others work, just to get my jollies, and so it always feels weird when I get some nasty thrown my way. So funny, they always DO start with "ummm" or end with "just sayin"!

However...In turning the light on myself, and the times that I engage in the same behavior in the day to day, real world moments, if even only in my head, really helped me get out of that negative head space. And then I got a nice blog post out of it too! I feel I showed her, by feeling great, and being productive!

[bemildred]

7. It is impossible to be too cynical on the internet.

Sometimes it's virtually a duty.

But, otherwise, yeah, you just create a lot of needless friction.

[ThoughtCriminal]

8. Take away the snark

and I'd still be in the "700 club".

[Odin2005]

9. I fucking hate snark.

I have noticed that the "sneering at people for being happy" thing is common among Gen-Xers of all political stripes, probably because that generation is the generation of cynicism par excellence, and it drives this Millennial CRAZY.

[tama]

11. Snark snark

with more snark or...

[LiveNudePolitics]

16. Yeah, Gen Xer's

have a tendency to piss on every parade, I got enough of that growing up....Now, I have a tendency to be what my mom archly called a "happy asshole", which evidently, gets on some peoples nerves! I cannot change though, nor do I want to.

I agree -- forgiveness is a powerful thing.

[CBHagman]

17. Insightful passage here.

[url]http://lifehacker.com/5921655/the-snarky-voice-in-your-head-is-killing-your-productivity-heres-how-to-stop-it[/url]

Everyone thinks they have a reason to be judgemental, but the truth is we're all the hero of our own stories—just because you think you have a reason doesn't mean that reason is justified.

Gil says, "Inappropriate sarcasm is unprovoked and inconsistent with the mood/spirit of an interaction. It can also be a form of bullying because it's a way of going on the offensive and putting people beneath you. If you find that your go-to response to an otherwise normal situation is eye rolling or smirking on one side of your mouth (both physical cues of contempt) or a thought that basically says "that person is an idiot", then you probably do have a problem."