5 ways to avoid feeling jealous at work

5 ways to avoid feeling jealous at work5 ways to avoid feeling jealous at workIn a hyper-connected, fast-paced work environment, it can be easy to feel like youre just not measuring up to others on your team. Add a star coworker who always seems to be on your managers good side, and pangs of jealousy can start to set in.Heres how to avoid letting feelings of envy bog you down at work.Remember, that star coworker is human, tooYou both get up, go to work, and have successes and failures at work and at home. In other words, you are both human, and make mistakes.While it may seem like everything is always going your coworkers way, dont hold them up on a pedestal They have bad days, too.Think about what you bring to the tableDont forget your own talents your coworker may have skills you wish you had, but you cant forget what youre good at. Dont let their expertise and/or reiz eclipse your success.Assess the fairness levelHarvard Business Review says that you should think deeply about wha ts going through your mind, and assess the level of fairness when youre having trouble being happy for a coworker who wins at work.Take a hard look at whether any of your negative feelings are justified or should be addressed. If indeed the playing field is uneven, or some favoritism was involved, then think about whether you want to talk about it constructively with your manager, a colleague, or an HR representative, the piece says. If, however, the other person succeeded fair and square, consider how you can use the other persons achievement as motivation for yourself. What can I learn from what she did? What do I need to do differently to be recognized and rewarded in the future?Think about what you have in commonFormer C-suite corporate executive and entrepreneur Glenn Llopis writes about how envy prevents us from connecting with others professionally in Forbes.We cant build respect and trust for one another and therefore lift each other on a foundation of envy. How can you bu ild a network when envy stands in the way? Why envy someone elses career aspirations when success is now measured by your influence, Llopis writes. Think about the influence you can share with others rather than the barriers to advancement envy creates when networking.So try to find common ground.Come up with a plan to move forwardInstead of ruminating on what you dont have, work on improving yourself.High Performing Teams consultant and coach Shawn Kent Hayashi writes in The Muse about how you should ask yourself what changes can I make? when youre envious of a coworker.She says that after you think about what you want mora of in your professional life, you should take this approach.Start with small steps like volunteering for different kinds of projects, speaking up when you have ideas, or signing up for a class to build out a new skill. It may be that you feel a bigger step is necessary. If you realize that every leader at your organization has an MBA, look into local programs - and see if your company has any resources for tuition reimbursement, Hayashi writes. Taking any step toward your desired goal - whether its a baby step or a giant one - will move you out of envy and into a more positive mindset. If you stop dwelling and start doing, your focus and drive will return, and so will your more rational, sociable self.