How to Rebound After Crying At Work

Scott Sinclair on July 11, 2025

tags: At Work, Communicating Effectively, Managing Emotions

It's safe to say the workplace is a very different ecosystem than your life at home. Showing emotions to your friends and family can be a moment of catharsis or clarity. Many of us know how good it can feel to have a good cry. But showing this type of emotion at work can be uncomfortable for many of us because many reasons. Some people may feel like they will not be taken seriously if they cry in front of someone in a professional setting. Some may feel it's unprofessional to show that level of emotion. Those who have received a cancer diagnosis and maybe haven't disclosed to their co-workers or don't like discussing their cancer experiences at work may feel like they have accidentally revealed something from their personal life that they don't want to be known at work for a number of reasons. None of these examples are definitively true or even perceived in the way you may fear. Regardless of of the reason you cried, whether it was in response to criticism, something going a different way than you hoped, some bad news in your personal life or maybe you don't even know why, but you just suddenly broke out in tears, it is not something you should feel embarrassed about. The truth is: We are all humans, and emotions crop up in every aspect of our lives.

So what do you do to recover? A recent article in Fast Company by psychologist Jessica Wilen walks us through some steps we can take to move on after having an emotional moment at work.

1. Take a Neutral Inventory
Think about the moments leading up to this moment. How would you describe what was happening? Were you being attacked? Were you being critiqued? Did someone bring up a topic that triggered your anxiety over your treatment/recovery? Being able to have an objective view over the events leading up to this moment can help you prepare emotionally should it happen again, rather than just saying "I lost control."

2. Don't Rush to Over Correct
Many people may immediately start apologizing or overexplain. This is where someone may find themselves in a situation where they feel they have to disclose their diagnosis either intentionally or unintentionally. Or give out more details of their diagnosis/prognosis/medical information than you feel comfortable sharing. Wilen says to remember, "Emotion isn't misconduct." You didn't do anything wrong. You don't owe anyone an apology or an explanation of any sort. 

3. What Do You Want to Learn from This?
Maybe there is too much pressure on you or your role in the organization. Maybe you think you were being treated unfairly. Maybe it's just the fact that it is hard to navigate work after a diagnosis, and you needed a moment to feel emotions that are understandably cropping up. Whatever the reason was, remember that it is valid. It could be time to talk to your boss about an overwhelming plate of work, or how you feel about the tone you are being spoken to in. These don't have to be conversations you have immediately. Sometimes you don't even have to bring it up at all. But knowing the root of it can help you plan ahead and be a little more prepared should you find yourself in a similar situation again.

Some further resources that may help: