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Nobody sets out to cry at work, but sometimes the tears start to well up anyway. They key from there is damage limitation. In the case of crying, that's drawing the least amount of attention and settling back down as quickly as possible. Some practical tips for this are:

DON'T... hold your breath
It can make you turn red and if the tears break through, it will be in more of an uncontrolled burst. What to do instead is exhale slowly, like a long sigh or blowing out imaginary smoke. Next, breath in slowly and roll your eyes up as far as you can. Then exhale again with your long, slow, silent sigh and bring your eyes back down. Repeat this a few times if you can.

DON'T... rush out of the room
It heightens the drama and will attract attention from anyone you happen to pass. If you can regain your composure while still in the situation and carry on, it gives the incident closure which helps to fade people's memory of tears in the middle. If you know you can't go on, say you need to stop then use a steady and deliberate pace to get somewhere private.

DON'T... try to explain your crying at the time
You could give away too much information and it focuses attention on your emotions. Try to give a brief non-committal statement like "I need a minute" to allow time to gather your thoughts. Ask them to carry on without you if possible. If this isn't possible, ask to continue the discussion after a short break.

DON'T...accept a hug
It sounds comforting, but hugs often trigger deeper crying. If someone offers you a cuddle, hold your hands out in a discreet 'stop' or 'wait' gesture and tell them you just need a moment.

DON'T ... head for the bathroom
You never know who'll be there or who could walk in. If you need a break, you're better to get yourself into an empty office or all the way out of the building where you know you won't meet anyone. The fewer the people who know, the easier it will be to put it behind you.

DON'T... refer back to the crying afterward
Once you have your thoughts together, discuss what upset you and why but try to limit time spent on how upset you got.

DON'T... go straight home
Calming yourself down and going back into the building (even if it's just to collect your things) is like 'getting back on the horse'. It will make it slightly easier to go in the next day.

Learn more about this author, Adele Gregory.
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