“I Did It Again”: 30 Of The Most Colossal Mess-Ups People Have Made At Work

In a recent interview with Bored Panda, ‘Midtown-Fur’—the user responsible for starting the thread—shared that they have previously delved into online content on a similar topic, which awoke their curiosity. “I wondered… does ‘Ask Reddit’ have any stories like that?” they said.

And clearly, it does. The redditor admitted being quite surprised by the netizens’ stories, which they found quite amusing, too; especially the one where a person hit a lamppost with a truck. Well… happens to the best of us, doesn’t it?

“My personal work stories aren't anywhere near as funny,” ‘Midtown-Fur’ admitted. “But I once heard from someone in my family that someone they knew had something stolen from them at a restaurant or building and they walked in shouting ‘The colored girl stole it.’ They walked in, and everyone was a person of color. They said that they wanted to die upon walking in.”

Discussing the role mistakes play in our lives, the Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston, Dr. Lizabeth Roemer, pointed out that we often feel like we shouldn’t make them ever, but in reality, mistakes are a natural part of life and part of the learning process.

“We can put effort into our work and try to minimize mistakes, but we will still inevitably make some. By learning to respond to our mistakes as opportunities to learn, we can reduce the additional difficulties that can arise from avoidance and withdrawal and instead become a person who responds gracefully and effectively to our mistakes. In this way, mistakes can ultimately play a positive, rather than a negative role in our lives,” she explained.

According to the expert, the emotions that typically accompany making a mistake are rather negative, so it’s no wonder that individuals feel like they shouldn’t be making them. “People often experience anxiety, stress, and shame when they make mistakes, often connected to experiences of being scolded or punished when making them in the past,” she noted.

“A natural reaction to these emotions is to avoid or withdraw from the situation, which can be particularly problematic in a work situation, and will likely worsen the impact of the mistake. It can also lead to self-criticism and self-consciousness, and reduced confidence at work.”

Talking about the best ways to cope with the negative emotions that follow making a mistake, Dr. Roemer suggested practicing mindfulness. “Instead of withdrawing, a more effective response is to notice how you're feeling (in other words, be mindful), practice compassion for yourself, and actively respond to what happened. This might include acknowledging the error and also taking actions to address it.

“Recognizing that everyone makes mistakes for many different reasons is one way of creating a healthy workplace in which everyone's humanity is recognized, and everyone can learn and grow together. A simple and honest apology is sometimes useful, followed by efforts to address the error and move forward as a team.”