Some people just thrive on handing you stress. They’re stressed about everything, in a constant state of neurotic panic, and they try to give it to you. They might do this by trying to pull you into their panic with emotional outbursts. They might try to let their own lack of project management skills overflow into work that they try to get you to do. Whatever the form of the contagion, you need to remember to innoculate yourself.
Just because someone else is in a high/negative emotional state doesn’t mean you have to be. Their urgency is not currency by which they buy your attention. If they can’t take a few deep breaths and circle back to you at a scheduled time, then don’t make exceptions. Don’t trade your own sanity to someone who’s just going to chew it up.
The Opportunity Machine 