Do you hate it when people complain?

Listening to too much complaining is bad for your brain in multiple ways. The brain works more like a muscle than we thought, So if you're pinned in a corner for too long listening to someone being negative, you're more likely to behave that way as well.

Even worse, being exposed to too much complaining can actually make you dumb. Research shows that exposure to 30 minutes or more of negativity, including viewing such material on TV actually peels away neurons in the brain's hippocampus. "That's the part of your brain you need for problem solving," he says. "Basically, it turns your brain to mush."

But if you're running a company, don't you need to hear about anything that may have gone wrong? "There's a big difference between bringing your attention to something that's awry and a complaint.
Typically, people who are complaining don't want a solution; they just want you to join in the indignity of the whole thing. You can almost hear brains clink when six people get together and start saying, 'Isn't it terrible?' This will damage your brain even if you're just passively listening. And if you try to change their behavior, you'll become the target of the complaint."

So, how do you defend yourself and your brain from negativity? 

Get some distance

You should look at complaining the same way, he says. "The approach I've always taken with complaining is to think of it as the same as passive smoking." Your brain will thank you if you get yourself away from the complainer, if you can.

Ask the complainer to fix the problem

Try to get the person who's complaining to take responsibility for a solution.  Respond to a complaint with, 'What are you going to do about it?'" Many complainers walk away huffily at that point.


Imagine Your Favorite Spot!

A strategy is to mentally retreat to your favorite holiday spot, someplace you'd go if you could wave a magic wand. take yourself to your private retreat while people were ranting and raving and keep smiling at them and nod in all the right places and meanwhile take a peaceful walk on your "private beach."

- Team Shirsa