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“Wonder Woman Files” is a weekly career column on Madame Noire. Stay tuned for more topics, comment or write us at editors@madamenoire.com if you have suggestions!

Things Fall Apart.  Not only is it the title of one of my favorite classic novels but it’s a phrase I utter mid-week when things at work feel like they are coming apart at the seams.

While office struggles don’t hold a candle to Chinua’s, when things begin to come undone at work, it can feel like your sanity is about to go as well.  For all the Mesdames on the brink of saying, ‘this is just not my week,’ here are a few ways to get back on track and turn your week around.

Stop the bleeding When your week begins to hemorrhage, the easiest thing to do is to is to simply go ghost.  You know, dodge the emails and the calls.  But for how long?  Whatever it is that bugging you will continue,  until you address it.  So whether it’s personal or professional- face it because it’ll just keep haunting you if you don’t.

Control the things you can For me, it’s my face.  When I am stressed or frustrated, my face tells it all.  Whether it’s my pursed lips or my cocked head, if you wanted to know how I was feeling all you had to do was look my way.  Since sitting through some tense staff meetings, I’ve learned to put on my board room poker face.   Whatever your weak spot is, figure it out and fix it before others do.  While you may feel a mess, there’s no need to put it on display.

Get back in gear The new nudes may be trending for Fashion Week but, at work, neutral is not the way to go.  Make decisions on what you will let go and what you will pursue and get into drive.  Bosses may not fault their employees for overwhelming situations, but they will let go of employees who drown in them.  When the going gets tough, get back up and get going.  Your resiliency may not go rewarded, but it won’t go unnoticed.

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