Top 10 Ways To Deal With Life’s Most Annoying People

Let’s level for a second: there are some people in the world that are just plain annoying. From the guy that parks in your spot all the way up to the boss that does everything he can to make your life miserable, we all have to deal with horrible people once in a while. Here’s how to do it best.

10. The Supermarket Jerk

It’s a small annoyance to be sure, but there’s always that one person at the supermarket who just grinds your gears. The guy who steals your parking spot, then takes the last box of Tim Tams, then cuts in line in front of you. If you aren’t the uber-patient type, we’ve shared some tips about how to deal with an arsehole parker and how to deal with people that cut in line. Though if it actually is the same person that does both of those things, they’re probably just a jerk and you’re better off stealing their Tim Tams.

9. The Sloppy Roommate

Finding a good roommate can be a crapshoot. Sometimes, you just end up with a slob and have to learn to live with it. But, before you get all huffy, try to solve things amicably. There are a lot of things you can do to make the situation better (and become a better roommate yourself). Of course, if it gets really bad, then you can think about evicting them. Photo by Diego Cervo (Shutterstock)

8. The Negative, Irrational Arguer

Whether is one of your close friends or that guy in your office that just wants to pick a fight, we all know someone who’s overly negative and just likes to argue. Dealing with their negativity is the first step to cohabitation, but once they actually get you roped into an argument, you’re on different ground. In those cases, you’re better off getting out of the argument rather than spurring it on, no matter how irrational they are (and no matter how much you know you’re right). Though… you should make sure you are right, first. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Image: Jinga (Shutterstock)

7. The Overbearing Family Member

No matter how much you love your family (or friends), we all know a few people that can just get a little high maintenance from time to time and stress you out. The best thing you can do is set clear boundaries so they don’t get under your skin too much. But, seeing as that isn’t always an option, you’ll also need to learn how to deal with that kind of stress when you’re forced to be around them for long periods of time. Just remember to choose your battles wisely. Image: Lisa F. Young (Shutterstock)

6. The Chronically Late Friend

Sometimes, even our best friends can be annoying. We probably all have at least one friend that’s late to everything, and while it seems like a minor annoyance, it can occasionally cause bigger problems — not to mention it’s just plain rude. You guys have offered a lot of suggestions for dealing with chronically late friends and if you’re feeling a little evil, you can go radio silent to really teach them a lesson. We’ve also talked about how to fix your own chronic lateness, and you might offer some of that advice to your friends as well — but be sure not to sound like a jerk when you do it. Image: Mark Ramsay

5. The Noisy Neighbour

From wall-vibrating dubstep to loud late night sex, noisy neighbours always suck. Unfortunately, it’s something you’ll have to deal with at some point in your life if you live in apartment buildings. The best way to deal with a noisy neighbour is to just talk to them nicely. Often, they might not realise how loud they are and would be happy to stop. If that isn’t possible, you can take slightly more covert measures, or just contact the authorities. Or you could transmit your music to their speakers and really freak them out. Or just have even louder sex. Title image remixed from an original by Tomasz Trojanowski (Shutterstock)

4. That Guy You Just Don’t Like

Some annoying people don’t fit into any one category. Sometimes, you just plain don’t like people, but you have to deal with them every day. If they’re truly arseholes, there are ways to productively call them out on their BS, and that might be the best way to go. For others, it may just be that you don’t like them, and focusing on your own triggers can help you deal with them better. If all else fails, you can in fact tell someone you don’t like them. Illustration by Leremy (Shutterstock)

3. The Manipulative Jerk

So we’ve talked about annoying people, but what about the people that are actually mean, manipulative, or downright evil? Sometimes these can be harder to spot, because they’ll often make you feel like you’re the problem. They’ll play on your guilt, conceal their evil in altruism, or exploit your sympathies and the sooner you realise what’s really happening, the sooner you can begin to confront them and root them out for good. Don’t let them argue with you, either — if they’re truly manipulative, you need to end the relationship and move on without letting them retaliate.

2. The Horrible Boss

Some people have issues with authority figures, but some authority figures just have issues. If you’re stuck with a truly crazy boss, it can make work a living hell, not to mention follow you home and infect your personal life. We’ve shared lots of ways to deal with your crazy boss before, but it’s also worth making sure you aren’t just being an oversensitive employee. If you can’t keep your distance, you’ll have to file an official complaint. Luckily, we’ve got tricks for that too. Image: Shutterstock

1. You

Most of us don’t think we’re jerks, but occasionally, we all have our annoying tendencies. It’s human nature. The key is realising how you’re annoying people, and taking the effort to do something about “accidental arsehole” syndrome. Gather critiques from your friends and family, then be open and talk it out with them. If you’re really dedicated to becoming better, there are a lot of surefire strategies you can use to make sure you improve all those little idiosyncrasies that bother people, making everyone (including yourself) much happier.

Image: Elena Elisseeva (Shutterstock).