The Devil Wears Prada is one of my all-time favorite movies.  Will there ever be a character Meryl Streep can’t play?  Between Meryl Streep’s monologues, Emily Blunt’s comebacks, and how we can all relate to the woes of our first real jobs in Anne Hathaway’s character, Andy, I’d be surprised if one girl in NYC or any other city hasn’t seen this movie.

Miranda Priestly (Meryl’s character), a high-end fashion magazine editor terrorizes her entry-level assistant in a cool and demeaning way until the assistant, Andy Sachs (played by Anne), eventually realizes she needs to follow her own path and remove herself from the toxic environment, despite potential career damage.

After watching the film, I remember breathing a sigh of relief.  I would never have to deal with a demanding, self-centered, nonsensical boss in my industry.  The career I was pursuing is about helping others and doing the right and ethical thing.

I definitely spoke too soon.  If you haven’t encountered this situation yet, brace yourself as you may want to tuck these tips away for another job.  Sooner or later, most people have to deal with a difficult manager.  I was no exception.

Despite dreading Monday mornings, having countless conversations with friends mostly involving the word 'quit,' and spending weekends applying to new jobs, I learned some very valuable lessons during this season on how to deal with a difficult boss:

1) Keep calm and carry on

While this saying is showing up everywhere from mugs to backpack pins and may be a tad cliché by now, it’s a good mantra to keep in mind.  Even if you have a lot going on - an important project to finish, a million emails to sort through, take a moment to breathe.  Whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed, set a timer for just 1-2 minutes.  Take deep breaths through your nose and let it out through your mouth.  As simple as it may sound, deep breathing is a huge part of meditation and yoga and most exercises because it really does help us relax and calm down.

2) Treat yourself

One of the most frustrating aspects of working for a difficult boss for me was that good work was rarely, if ever applauded.  There were many late night and weekend hours worked, small and big accomplishments that just were never acknowledged.  After a while, it’s not very motivating to continue to go the extra mile when it doesn’t seem to matter, even though that’s the expectation.  My advice if you're in a thankless situation?  Do something for yourself once a week.  That’s right.  Finish the week with a mani/pedi, or take yourself out to lunch and read a book.  Small rewards will keep you getting through the week, and then despite the lack of motivation from your boss, you can determine the reward and give yourself a break.

3) Track all emails and notes

By tracking all of your emails, notes and correspondence with your boss, you have a written record of directions given and what was asked of you.  Use this record to your benefit.  The notes allow you to adequately defend your own work because you can look back upon what was asked and show your boss if it is ever in question.  This habit also helps to keep you organized.  The moment I could relate to Andy Sachs the most was when Miranda tells her, 'Find me that piece of paper I had in my hand yesterday morning.'  Difficult managers often expect you to keep them organized, instead of the other way around.  By taking dated organized notes, and keeping emails in folders, you won’t drive yourself crazy trying to remember all the details of a three-hour meeting that touches on 47 subjects.

4) Set personal boundaries

Unless your job is the type that requires weekend and evening hours, set boundaries on where your work life and personal life meet.  My boss would text me on Saturday mornings, email at 3am or call at 9pm on a Friday.  But nothing about the work was ever urgent.  Once I realized that this person did not respect normal office hours and would push the limits of what was appropriate, I realized that it was up to me to establish my own limits and abide by the working hours outlined in my contract.  If this is your situation, stand up for yourself.  Just because this person is your work manager, it does not mean they control your life.

5) Learn from the situation

Unfortunately, people remember negative experiences more than positive ones.  I can honestly say I will never forget the aspects of my boss that made working for this person an absolute nightmare because I had to deal with it every day.  But because of that experience, I now know work behavior I would never want to mimic.  Just as it’s important to know the kind of person you admire and respect, it's important to know and understand the qualities in a manager you don’t respect and would never want to reflect.  Regardless of how awful it feels at the time, you're learning about leadership.

Finally, stay as positive as possible while you're in the situation.  Remember that nothing lasts forever and someday you will leave the job, get promoted or move on.  Don’t let your attitude be the one in question.  And know that when you do leave, you will have some crazy stories to share and only appreciate your next step that much more.