I love reading expert assessments of Generation Y, also known as the millennials. Roughly, we’re anywhere from age 8 to age 30, so obviously many of us have entered the work force (a term which we hate). We’re the ones who grew up online, can zip around a computer at lightning speed, rarely separate work from the rest of our lives, & are always multitasking on email, Blackberrys, & blogs.

Or at least, that’s the stereotype. Although most of us do at least some of these things, the truth is that not everyone does. I blog, multitask, & zip around my computer faster than many, but I hate texting & never check my work email away from the office. I have accounts at nearly every social network, but hardly ever remember to update my Facebook status.

& yet, I can see that the way I think & would prefer to work is much different than the other generations around me – even those in Gen X, just a few years older than I am. But with the research sociologists & etc have done on us to write books & create workshops for helping those older generations work with us, there’s really not a lot out there on how we’re supposed to work with them.

With this in mind, I thought I’d take this week & focus on some things millennials might be dealing with in their first jobs. The first topic? Keeping your cool on the job.

We’ve all been there, Gen Y or not: deadlines, less-than-harmonious co-workers, personal stuff you can’t ignore while at the desk, troublesome members of the public, wanting to be anywhere but here… the list goes on & on. Stuff stresses you out! & can make for a difficult job experience. Nobody likes working under these conditions! You lose your focus, hate your job, & makes you want to curl into a ball & cry (or pound someone’s head in).

These are my tips for keeping your zen & letting go:

>> Fill your office space, whether it’s an actual office or just a small cubby hole, with stuff that’s truly you. I cut butterflies out of construction paper, printed some pictures from Flickr that I loved, & brought in an old porcelain mug to be my pencil holder. Maybe you have an action figure that you love (Hellboy could be a great protector of your sanity), a favorite photograph of a beautiful moment from college, or a silly cartoon that makes you smile. Maybe you should pick up a small plant or keep fresh flowers on your desk. Anything to make your space really feel like your own.

>> If you can, listen to music that calms you. Maybe it’s classical music, your favorite musician, or if you’re like me & have a (possibly unhealthy) addication to relaxation CDs, they’re readily available just about everywhere. I also find the bonus CD of ambient music from Moby’s Hotel album very soothing. If you’re lucky enough to have an actual office, play it through your computer or on your radio. If you’re like me & share a small space with several people AND have to answer phones, listen to your music with just one earbud in. You’ll be suprised how much this helps.

>> Find a fellow Gen Y in your building. They’ll understand when you show up with the classic look of millennial Frustration.

>> Failing that, find someone, anyone at your office that you confide in & will let you just talk it out. Sometimes, all you need to do is say it out loud. I’m fortunate to have found several people who ask no questions when I walk in & just need to say what I want to say.

>> Get out of the building, if for only five minutes. Start an afternoon ritual of drinking tea in the courtyard, or run to the local coffee shop every Friday morning. Instead of spending lunch at your desk, take a nice walk outside & think about anything other than that big project you’re behind on.

>> Make sure your limitations are clear. People tend to think that being a millennial automatically means we all get the equivalent of a computer science degree in high school & that we all have myspace accounts. Sure, you have a Wordpress blog, but that doesn’t mean you have any idea how to code the company’s new website in PHP! Don’t let people volunteer you for projects you can’t handle.

>> Call your mom, best friend, or sibling. Let them know you’re not seeking their advice on how to fix the situation; you just need to vent.

>> Journal it out! Keep a notebook in an undisclosed location & write it down – you can always shred it later. Or create a private LiveJournal for your eyes only & type type type until you achieve maximum zen.

>> Above all, remember this: Don’t Take It Personally! The meshing of such a variety of generations was guaranteed to cause lots of friction. If it gets completely out of control, talk to your boss/supervisor & let them know what’s going on – keep it civil, & stay away from labels. & if things continue? Float your resume out there in the wide, wide world. I know leaving your job at this time is really super scary, but you never know! Someone could offer you something even more amazing than the job you’re barely making it through!

Keep in mind that no matter how much people gush about their jobs & that they love them, no job is perfect. There’s a crappy part of everything – the key is handling those less-than-wonderful moments. How do you handle them?