Anxiety about work is common, and managing it is the key to overcoming it. Workplace anxiety cannot be cured. When you’re expected to perform at your peak and you’re dealing with challenging anxiety, thoughts and emotions can feel pretty dark. Creeping anxiety is no joke, and a counselling service or mental health program can certainly help.
Here is how to overcome workplace anxiety to move forward in your job without worrying or obsessing.
Recognizing Workplace Anxiety
Workplace anxiety is feelings of unease, worry, or apprehension about work. It typically involves worrying about work performance, relationships, excessive hours, work deadlines, job security, or a toxic workplace. If this sounds like you, it’s important to recognize it.
Be Compassionate Towards Yourself
Accept anxiety in a neutral, non-judgmental way. Observe negative thoughts. Live in the present moment with them, recognizing their existence. Take the time to acknowledge your thoughts without shaming them.
Self-Care Is a Requirement
Take care of yourself. Get enough sleep the night before work. Eat healthy meals and stay hydrated. Exercise throughout the week. Your body and mind will handle stress when fed and working well.
Obtain Support for What’s Happening
Your workplace anxiety is natural. Anxiety disorders are medical conditions with potentially serious physical consequences. Consider counselling services with experience in treating workplace anxiety. They can offer more information on treating this condition that you’ve been dealing with alone.
Give Yourself Time to Get Ready
Don’t rush to work. Set aside time to get ready slowly. Make it a ritual every day and have a set way of doing things. This consistency will give you control and eliminate the stress of rushing to work.
Stay Organized During Your Workday
Clear and declutter the mind. Stay organized. Plan as much of your day as you can. When you’re organized, you waste less energy worrying and know what tasks you must complete.
Step Out of Work Conflicts
If there are interpersonal conflicts at work, avoid participating. Don’t gossip. Don’t share controversial personal opinions at work. Steer clear of any controversial humour. Avoid being near others who cause conflicts.
Break Down Larger Tasks
Take a large, overwhelming project and break it down into steps. Make them into smaller tasks you can methodically work through. You will feel accomplished as you move ahead and gain confidence that makes you feel better about a project’s progress.
Stop Multitasking
Multitasking is a sure way to increase anxiety. It does not maximize your time, and your performance suffers from doing too much. Don’t split your focus. Do a task at a time, complete one, and move on. This is how work progress is made.
Set Realistic Deadlines
Ambitious deadlines can lead to anxiety. Be sure to get a realistic deadline or discuss what you can do to alter a deadline to make it more realistic. Make your team or team lead aware of when changes are needed to a deadline and why.
Talk to Your Supervisor About Job Expectations
Unclear employee requirements can lead to anxiety and burnout. Talk to your supervisor about what’s expected of you and your role requirements. Figure out how to meet those expectations or discuss with them the strategies they recommend meeting them. This relieves stress instantly.
Create a Comfortable Work Environment
Physical discomfort can cause or worsen anxiety. Have a comfortable chair. Adopt a strong posture. Minimize distracting office noise. Find accessories, colours, or décor that soothes you rather than stress you out.
Try to Use Your Anxiety Energy
Take energy from stress and anxiety. Try to connect it to positive motivation. Use that energy instead of wasting it managing stress. Apply that energy to motivation and goals, redirecting it towards a more pleasant outcome.
Ask for Help From Others
You don’t have to do everything yourself. When you’re struggling at work or the workload becomes too much, ask for help and support from a manager or a teammate. With the proper support, you can move faster through a challenging task than if you tried to handle your anxiety independently.
Accept That Anxiety Will Be There
Work is stressful. Even if you overcome workplace anxiety, it still comes up and again. This is normal and natural. If you’re struggling with an anxiety condition, coping strategies are important and can help you manage stress as you return to neutral.