Have you ever left a meeting totally drained – even though you barely spoke – and thought, “Why do I feel like I just did an emotional workout?” Welcome to the magic (and curse) of mirror neurons.
Your brain has a sneaky system called mirror neurons, and it’s why you ‘catch’ other people’s moods like the flu. So if your boss is tense. You’re tense. If your co-worker is rolling their eyes? Now you’re suspicious. If someone’s yawning in a meeting? You find yourself yawning too.
These neurons are empathy’s autopilot, they mimic what we see, often before we’re even aware it’s happening. Which is lovely when you’re around joy and inspiration, but not-so-fun when you’re around panic, burnout, or passive-aggressive sighing.
The Workplace Trap:
Emotions spread fast, and if you’re not careful, you can become a mood sponge. The challenge is: you can’t control other people’s vibes, but you can manage how much you absorb vs how much you observe.
How to Break the Emotional Echo Chamber:
- Name it to tame it – “That’s not my stress, it’s theirs.”
- Ground yourself before big meetings (breath > inbox).
- Limit energy drainers when possible (you know who).
- Intentionally reflect positive states, you can be the mood-setter too.
So… just because your brain is wired to mirror doesn’t mean you have to absorb everything around you. Why not be the thermostat instead of the thermometer?