Sometimes a simple request can lead to a great deal of internal anger, which could possibly lead to lashing out in some way, shape, or form. Reflection is a good option. In the reflection, it is worth saying to yourself: lashing out is not a great choice to make.
Second, break down the request. For example, being asked to add something to a document: it is easy at first to get frustrated, but then look at the request in parts and not the whole. For example, just say, “OK, all I am being asked to do is to cut and paste some information into a document, and then to type into the new columns that were cut and pasted in.” After this has been completed, all I am being asked to do is to open up a previously sent email, click Reply, click Attach, click Choose, wait for the document to attach, and then hit Send.
The term for this is task analysis, and I have sort of made it a hybrid CBT technique. Naming what I am doing currently literally gets me into the present moment.
This process acts as a grounding mechanism, and the inner frustration flows away. I imagine that my insides are like a boiling pot of water, and turning off the flame brings it down and cools everything off. And you have completed something that is more helpful and is actually useful.
What simple request is still boiling inside you?
Here, I made this. My gift to you, for taking the time to read.
Images are from my imagination, generated by AI. Writing is all me