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How to get over work anxiety


Anxiety and Stress in the Workplace

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Having an anxiety disorder can make a major impact in the workplace. People may turn down a promotion or other opportunity because it involves travel or public speaking; make excuses to get out of office parties, staff lunches, and other events or meetings with coworkers; or be unable to meet deadlines.

In a national survey on anxiety in the workplace, people with anxiety disorders commonly cited these as difficult situations: dealing with problems; setting and meeting deadlines; maintaining personal relationships; managing staff; participating in meetings, and making presentations. 

Tell Your Employer?

It’s your decision to tell your employer about your anxiety disorder. Some people do so because they need accommodations, others want to educate people about their condition, and some do not want to hide their illness.

If you have a physical or mental disability and are qualified to do a job, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) protects you from job discrimination.  Being qualified means you must satisfy an employer’s requirements for the job and be able to perform essential functions on your own or with reasonable accommodation. An employer cannot refuse to hire you because your disability prevents you from performing duties that are not essential to the job. Find out more about employment rights.  

Tips to Manage Stress and Anxiety at Work

Getting stressed out at work happens to everyone, and it’s perfectly normal. But stress that is persistent, irrational, and overwhelming and impairs daily functioning may indicate an anxiety disorder. Keep these ideas in mind to keep your work life manageable:

  • Work! In addition to financial reasons, working can be important for your self-esteem and it adds to your social identity.
  • Tell a trusted coworker. Knowing that someone accepts your condition can be comforting and it may reduce any anticipatory anxiety about having a panic attack at work. 
  • Educate yourself. Learn to recognize the symptoms of your disorder and how to handle them if you experience any at work.
  • Practice time management. Make to-do lists and prioritize your work. Schedule enough time to complete each task or project.
  • Plan and prepare. Get started on major projects as early as possible. Set mini-deadlines for yourself. Anticipate problems and work to prevent them.
  • Do it right the first time. Spend the extra time at the outset and save yourself a headache later when you have to redo your work.
  • Be realistic. Don’t over commit or offer to take on projects if you don’t realistically have enough time.
  • Ask for help. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, ask a coworker for help. Later you can return the favor.
  • Communicate. Speak up calmly and diplomatically if you have too much to handle. Your supervisor may not realize you’re overextended.
  • Stay organized. Filing and clearing your desk and computer desktop may rank low on your priority list, but they can save you time in the long run and may prevent a crisis later.
  • Avoid toxic coworkers. Try to ignore negativity and gossip in your workplace.
  • Take breaks. A walk around the block or a few minutes of deep breathing can help clear your head.
  • Set boundaries. Try not to bring work home with you. Don’t check your work e-mail or voice mail after hours.
  • Savor success. Take a moment to celebrate your
  • good work before moving on to the next project. Thank everyone who helped you.
  • Plan a vacation. You’ll be rejuvenated and ready to work when you come back.
  • Take advantage of employer resources and benefits. Your workplace may offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), discounts to gyms, or skill-building courses. Learn what’s available to you.
  • Be healthy. Eat healthfully, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and limit caffeine and alcohol. Try to keep your body and mind in shape to handle challenging situations.
Getting Help

It’s important to find help for anxiety, stress, and related disorders. Find a therapist near you.

With treatment, most people find significant improvement. Several standard approaches have proved effective. Your health care professional will use one or a combination of these treatments:

  • Therapy
  • Medication
  • Complementary and alternative treatment
Resources

American Psychological Association Workplace Issues

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Fit Small Business: Article: How to Prevent and Deal with Discrimination in the Work Place, May 15, 2017

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Facts About the Americans With Disabilities Act

Mental Health America

 

12 Tips for Dealing With Anxiety at Work

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Dealing with anxiety doesn't have to mean you can't work effectively. Maskot/Getty Images
  • Nearly 50 million Americans struggled with a mental health illness recently, per 2022 research. 
  • Medical professionals recommended practicing mindfulness and trying progressive muscle relaxation.
  • Research shows making time to socialize and to be outdoors could also improve your wellbeing. 
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In March, President Joe Biden declared a national mental health crisis in his first State of the Union and outlined a national plan to improve the wellbeing of Americans.  

For many, mandates to return to the office or job sites are causing anxiety as the US nears 1 million COVID-19 deaths. The overwhelming majority of workers feel stressed about returning to work in person, according to a 2021 survey of 4,500 workers by software company Limeade. What's more, nearly 80% of respondents said they feared exposure to COVID. 

If you're struggling with anxiety while working, there are easy-to-adopt strategies that can help you. 

This article was originally published in 2016 and has been since updated in 2020 and in 2022.

1. Don't let anxiety determine how you live.

Those with anxiety shouldn't fear living, licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marla Deibler says. Shutterstock/tommaso79

People with anxiety should avoid limiting themselves, according to Marla Deibler, licensed clinical psychologist and the founder of the Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia. 

"Those who struggle with anxiety should strive to fully participate in life, despite their bodily experience of anxiety — anywhere at anytime," Deibler says. "Being willing to fully experience themselves and their private experiences (thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, etc.) and being accepting of that range of experiences, while continuing to act on with what is important to them, will lead them to in the direction of ceasing the struggle with anxiety. "

While this may sound hard to do during social isolation, experts say activities like journaling, yoga, and meditation can help one feel fully present in the moment.

Deibler provided Insider with some other crucial tips — from symptom management strategies to changing your entire mindset — for handling anxiety in your job.

2. Try not to suppress your anxiety.

The next time you feel anxious, try practicing acceptance. Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com

Stifling your feelings is counterproductive.  

"Everyone experiences anxiety," Deibler says. "It is a normal response to stress. Let it in when it shows up. Practice acceptance. Rather than trying to push it away (which tends to be futile, resulting in feeling more overwhelmed and less in control), make room for anxiety. It is showing up to try to bring your attention to something."

Deibler says that, by allowing space for some anxiety while you're working, you'll render it less bothersome in the long run. 

 

3. Make time before or after work to be outdoors.

Pine Tree Tools

A 2021 study by the University of York found that engaging in outdoor activities, like gardening, can improve mood and reduce anxiety. Additionally, participating in an outdoor hobby for 20 minutes consistently for three months was associated with better mental health, the authors found. 

4. Be mindful.

Practicing mindfulness can help you overcome moments of panic. Oliver Rossi/Getty Images

Check in with yourself once in a while.  

"Examine anxiety with curiosity when it shows up, rather than rejecting it," Deibler says. "What do you notice when it shows up? What are you thinking and feeling?"

5. Invite anxiety along for the ride.

Try pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. Fizkes/Shutterstock

Confront your anxieties head on. If you're nervous about public speaking, take an online class to improve your skills. If you're afraid of talking to your coworkers, try to strike up a conversation via video chat. 

"Push yourself to enter situations that lead to anxiety in order to demonstrate to yourself that you can persevere and succeed despite anxiety," Deibler says. "Exposing yourself to anxiety-provoking situations, rather than avoiding them, helps to change your relationship to anxiety and increase your confidence in these situations."

 

6. Practice self-care.

Catching up on your sleep is a great way to relieve stress. Brian Snyder/Reuters

Don't forget to take care of yourself.

"Attend to your own feelings and healthy lifestyle practices: good nutrition, sleep, and exercise are important to well-being, resilience, and healthy stress management," Deibler says.

7. Remind yourself that your mind is not always the best advisor.

Take stock of the thoughts you're having. Getty Images

Sometimes, you can't trust yourself.

"Our minds like to constantly tell stories, analyze, judge, give advice, and criticize," Deibler says. "Sometimes these thoughts are supremely unhelpful to us. Observe what your mind does. Notice the thoughts. Note that they are not objective truths. You get to decide whether the thoughts are worthy of your attention."

8. Take a break.

Getting some outdoor time can help relax your mind. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Deibler notes that changing your pace or scenery from time to time actually helps with managing anxiety. Find ways to do this while social distancing: maybe bask in the sun if you have a backyard, or go for a stroll in a nearby park. When taking precautions, the risks of spreading or contracting the virus in open air are slim, experts say.

9. Try progressive muscle relaxation.

Taking a few minutes during your work day to stretch or practice diaphragmatic breathing can help. Dean Drobot/Shutterstock

Engage in exercises that relax your body and set your mind at ease.  

"Diaphragmatic breathing or other relaxation inducing practice (e.g., mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery exercises, tai chi, yoga) can reduce stress by helping to encourage the relaxation response."

10. Lay off the coffee.

Caffeine, a stimulant, can make you jittery and uncomfortable. Katie Warren/Business Insider

When it comes to managing anxiety, that latte in the morning is not your friend.

"Keep caffeine consumption to a minimum, as it can increase heart rate and physiological symptoms of anxiety," Deibler says. 

11. Stay connected.

If you have five minutes, give a family member or friend a call. fizkes/Shuttestock

You can get by with a little help from your friends. 

"Social support is vital to managing stress," Deibler says. "Maintain connections to family and friends. Talking with others can do a world of good."

12. Seek professional help.

Cognitive behavioral therapy may be helpful if you are struggling with anxiety. wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock

Remember, you don't have to go through this alone. 

"Sometimes anxiety can be difficult to manage without professional help," Deibler says. "A clinical psychologist who provides cognitive behavioral therapy can assist individuals in learning to better understand anxiety and change their relationship to their anxious thoughts and feelings. Concerned coworkers and employers might also choose to express their concern for a colleague and help to normalize the experience and encourage the individual to seek help."

There has been a huge surge in the number of healthcare professionals providing telemedicine services, so check with your job or insurance provider to see what your options are for care during quarantine.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or has had thoughts of harming themselves or taking their own life, get help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations.

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How to deal with anxiety at work: 7 tips

Anti-stress

"Most people experience some level of anxiety all the time," says clinical psychologist Keith Cummins. “Remember how nervous you are before a presentation or a conversation with your boss about a pay rise.”

Continuous and intense anxiety is another matter. It interferes with focus and reduces productivity, creating a vicious cycle of stress. According to an American Psychological Association survey, 18% of the population finds it difficult to cope with work responsibilities due to anxiety or other mental problems.

"Being judged on performance can be very troubling," says Ryan Hooper, a clinical psychologist in Chicago. The fear of making a mistake, reinforced by the desire to succeed, can be paralyzing.

Anxiety can be dealt with

External factors also play a role: an unfavorable work environment and strained relationships with colleagues provoke additional anxiety. Anxiety can also be associated with painful memories, such as being fired, or worries about financial well-being.

You don't have to suffer in silence, anxiety can be dealt with. Here are a few tips to help you manage your stressful day at work.

1. Determine the possible cause

Anxiety is often manifested by rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, tightness in the chest, trouble concentrating, or a flood of negative thoughts. To cope with an attack, you need to understand what provoked it.

Determine the moments at which the anxiety rises. Perhaps it happens while driving to work, while talking to a co-worker, or when you are assigned a new project. If that doesn't work, Ryan Hooper recommends that you start keeping a diary in the evenings and write down all the events of the past day in it. “Describing experiences on paper, you get the opportunity to look at what happened from a different angle,” the psychologist explains, adding that you need to list in the diary what you did during the day and what feelings you experienced.

2. Try to find a simple solution

Once you figure out what triggers the seizures, you can come up with a solution. For example, if your relationship with a colleague is not going well, talk and set boundaries. If commuting gets on your nerves, take a different route. These decisions will help you feel that you are in control of your mental state.

3. When you feel anxiety coming on, ask yourself two questions

Develop a strategy to deal with anxiety. “Find a quiet place where you can reset yourself. Retire and analyze thoughts. Ask yourself two questions: “How do I feel right now?” and “What happened today that brought me to this state?”.

The more often you think about anxiety, the better you will be able to control the state

Then you can do an exercise to relieve tension: deep breathing, relaxing music. Try writing down negative thoughts and think about how you can turn them into positive affirmations. “The more often you comprehend anxiety, not allowing it to remain in the darkness of the unconscious, the better you will be able to control your condition,” says the psychologist.

4. Adjust the rhythm of the day after hours

Develop the habit of taking care of your physical, emotional and mental health. Walk the dog in the evenings, go to a cafe with a friend on Friday, do intense workouts. Cummins advises rethinking the morning routine so that the morning is not entirely devoted to getting ready for work. "Set your alarm 15 minutes early and devote that time to yoga, meditation, or sit down with a cup of coffee and think about something pleasant."

5. "Reboot" the brain

When a computer or smartphone starts to work slowly or with errors, we reboot it. So why not "reboot" your brain when anxiety hits? “Try to take breaks during the work day to think about pleasant things,” recommends Cummins. It can be a cup of coffee or a concert that you plan to go to at the end of the week.

"We need to create a space of positive thoughts that will help reduce anxiety," says the psychologist.

6. Think about the value of your work

Perhaps it gives financial independence or your help makes life easier for clients. “By remembering the value of work, you can look at anxiety from a different perspective,” says Hooper.

7. Tell your boss

If you find it difficult to perform your duties or your performance has declined, Cummins advises telling your boss about it.

If anxiety is interfering with your normal life, call the experts

“Most organizations will treat you with understanding or will be willing to discuss ways to deal with stress. If you trust the leader, tell him about your condition. So you will stop feeling that you are left alone with problems. If anxiety is interfering with your normal life, seek professional help. “Anxiety will not go away completely, but with effective treatment it can become less painful and you will start to feel more confident,” explains Hooper.

Anxiety overcomes many, but this does not mean that you should suffer alone. “Everyone goes through periods of ups and downs, everyone has to deal with depression, sometimes you can’t do without the help of a professional,” says Cummins.

Text: Nikolay Protsenko Photo source: Getty Images

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How to Deal with Anxiety at Work

We have translated for you an article by a company that develops applications for better organization of work Trello.

Anxiety as a Phenomenon

The work day is coming to an end, and you still have a lot of unfinished business. You realize with horror that you will not have time to cope with everything in time. Your heart starts pounding, every minute you look at your watch, time is running out... Sounds familiar?

The US National Institutes of Health estimates that 40 million American employees suffer from anxiety. Another study found that 56% worry that they are not performing well at work.

Everyone is subject to this anxiety. Here's another piece of news: your boss is 50% likely to feel anxious while at work too.

Of course, anxiety can take many forms. The slight anxiety that you feel before meeting an important client, and the panic that thieves might break into your house, are manifestations of anxiety of varying intensity.

When you panic, your adrenal glands release two hormones, cortisol and adrenaline. The pressure is rising, the heart is beating faster - your body is preparing to run from the robbers or put out the fire.

This "fight or flight" mechanism helps to survive in extreme situations.

But when such a reaction is triggered in the situation of "introducing yourself to the client" or "handing in the report on time", anxiety is no longer beneficial, but harmful.

Anxiety or stress?

It is easy to confuse anxiety and stress, but they have different origins. Stress is the body's reaction to specific external stimuli, it disappears with a change of scenery.

Anxiety is a more autonomous experience and can occur on its own, without an external cause.

In the case of stress, you experience great relief after its source leaves (for example, the acquaintance with the client took place): there is no problem - there is no experience.

If you experience constant fear and nervousness before work, then we are talking about anxiety that may not go away for a long time.

Living with a constant feeling of fear is very energy-consuming. It's like another job. Anyone who works on two projects knows that the quality and productivity of work are also divided in two.

Nature has programmed us to be productive and to do our jobs well. In primitive human societies, those who could not do their job were expelled from the tribe, which was equated with death.

That is, we inherited the feeling of anxiety due to its inefficiency. Although the conditions of life have changed, the biological imperative remains the same.

Anxiety causes you to waste your resources. You blame yourself for not working hard enough and doing a good job, reinforcing this feeling. It turns out a vicious circle, from which it is not easy to get out.

6 steps to overcoming anxiety at work calm down.

Alison Wood Brooks of Harvard Business School thinks differently. She suggests “looking at work anxiety from a different angle,” that is, re-evaluating this feeling.

All business content in a convenient format. Interviews, case studies, life hacks corp. of the world - in our telegram channel. Join now!

You can spend a lot of time and energy fighting anxiety and telling yourself to "keep calm and keep working," or you can learn to perceive it differently.

Perhaps it's not anxiety that causes fear and low self-esteem, but arousal? Anticipation? An impatient wait?

All these feelings, unlike anxiety, help to tune in to a positive mood and turn the fear of the unknown into its expectation.

2. Learn to make decisions and not get tired

Anyone who constantly makes decisions and evaluates their consequences knows how exhausting it is. In the face of constantly changing priorities and poorly formulated goals, fatigue can become the norm of your life.

As the Harvard Business Review points out, multitasking makes it hard to take short breaks. But our brain perceives such breaks as a sign that one thing is done.

This realization of completeness is important for a person with a high level of anxiety.

Try to break one big task into several and make a note to yourself as you complete each one. This will set you up for the positive: big victories start with small accomplishments.

Tim Ferriss, investor and entrepreneur, suggests going even further. Set aside 3 hours to complete one small task, even if it means postponing more urgent tasks.

Finishing one task in 3 hours will be much more beneficial for your psyche and productivity than trying to finish three tasks in the same time without doing any of them on time.

3. Study Yourself to Recognize the Signs of Imminent Anxiety

Research by the University of Missouri Science and Technology has shown that rapidly changing attention levels can be a sign of impending anxiety.

If you jump from task to task, constantly get distracted, and don't get there on time, you may soon be overwhelmed by anxiety.

Carefully study what this restlessness can be connected with. Watch how your mood and motivation change.

Is this a particularly unpleasant task? Or a client? Or is it all about deadlines?

Once you understand what caused your concern, it will be easier for you to plan your work in the future so that this does not happen again.

4. Disconnect from the Internet

Nomophobia is the fear of not being connected to the Internet. It has become so widespread that scientists have become interested: researchers from the University of Iowa have already developed a 20-question test that helps identify cell phone addiction.

In a recent study by London-based transport company Kiwimovers, experts analyzed the top Google searches for popular tourist destinations.

One of them is “Is there Wi-Fi?” even if visitors are looking for a zoo or a beauty salon.

Believe me, by disconnecting from the Internet, in many cases you can improve your performance.

For example, writer and founder of HARO, Pete Schekman, specifically bought a plane ticket to Tokyo and back just to be left without Wi-Fi and focus on writing a book.

5. Be specific and specific

As anxiety increases in situations of uncertainty, you may need to get as much accurate information from management as possible.

Trying to clarify everything along the way not only negatively affects the quality of work, but also makes the anxious person feel insecure when communicating with clients.

A study conducted by the developers of the Approve.io mobile app for remote work showed that the absence of detailed instructions on how to proceed increases the level of anxiety.

One of the experts who participated in the study, psychologist Cary Cooper noted:

The physical separation of freelancers from their customers makes it more difficult for the former to obtain accurate information about the project. Email instructions may not be clear enough.

Lack of specifics from the client can cause stress for the freelancer. I recommend holding regular meetings - in person or on the Internet - to remove the cause of anxiety caused by a lack of communication.

6. Be kind to yourself

Learn to forgive yourself. And remember: to work productively, you need to be able to have a good rest.

None of these techniques will help if you berate yourself for losing your performance due to anxiety and fear. It is hardly possible to achieve such a state of serenity when nothing will disturb you.

It is better to spend energy on the gradual solution of small problems.

Learn more