Anxiety Great Tips for Office Workers
Starting a new job can be challenging, especially when eyes are on you.
The pressure to excel can be overwhelming, and what may seem like a simple task for experienced colleagues can feel like an insurmountable obstacle for you. It's natural to feel a lack of confidence and question whether you can fit in with the team. Have you ever experienced this kind of pressure in the workplace? If so, how did you deal with it?
It's important not to let workplace anxiety control your thoughts. If you fight it, it will exhaust you and put you in survival mode every time. Instead of resisting, try to embrace your anxiety when it arises. It's not easy to reverse anxiety, but it's possible to break the cycle by consistently confronting environments that make you feel anxious. Until you learn this skill, you will likely try to run from anxiety every time it appears. However, you will gain increased confidence if you develop the courage to face it. When you feel anxious, try asking yourself what it offers and examine the evidence of what you think. You can gradually reduce your anxiety over time by leaning into the situation.
Anxiety can impact every area of your life if you let it. If you can identify when an attack is coming on, you will have time to use the tools available to reduce anxiety and enhance your confidence. If you don't develop these life skills, you will likely feel irritable and tired and may want to avoid spending time with colleagues. This is Social Anxiety. You may also notice a decline in job performance due to a lack of concentration. An anxiety attack is imminent, and your frontal cortex and thinking brain become inactive, which is why you experience these emotions. Have you ever tried to guess your way out of a panic attack? If so, you'll know it's impossible. This is because your mind has switched to survival mode.
Focus On Progress, Not Perfectionism
Perfectionism has become increasingly common in the workplace. The problem is that people caught up in it focus more on avoiding failure than achieving success. They believe that their acceptance by others depends on their flawless performance. It is more beneficial to spend time becoming more self-aware of unrealistic standards and to develop the 80/20 principle.
During calm times, I recommend creating a mental sanctuary as a guide. This can be as simple as you like, and it will serve as your escape route. You cannot think your way out of anxiety, but with practice, you can feel your way out.
Self-Care
Meeting the needs of others should not come at the expense of neglecting our well-being. Since Covid, much work has moved away from the office and become home-focused. If not careful, the boundaries between what is work and what is home can become combined. Therefore, it's important to distinguish between the two.
Caring for yourself is not self-indulgent. It plays a vital role in your mental health care plan. Boundaries must be set, and the temptation of letting work life/personal life collide must be avoided. Set a daily routine and allow this to become your structured plan.
Discover your flow and, during working time, focus on the results you want to see. Do not extend your working day to the cost of other aspects of your life.
Those who are still in the commute of office life can practice self-care as part of their daily routine. When we ask ourselves what we need, it guards against becoming over-stressed and avoiding timeout because of burnout or fatigue. Some suggestions are:
Let go of any ideas of perfectionism and work on the 80/20 principle.
Use breaks to socialize with co-workers and get to know people.
Remember to acknowledge your accomplishments.
If possible, get out to lunch or go outdoors.
Take regular breaks and stretch.
Set boundaries with co-workers.
Keep your self-talk positive. Avoid negative thinking if you can. This can reduce your levels of anxiety. Having a large workload and a limited amount of time can create anxiety. However, you can achieve your goals by developing a time management plan and setting priorities.
When you develop your self-care plan, you will limit the conflict you experience with your office colleagues, finding yourself equipped with emotional intelligence to navigate the day.
Suppose you have the freedom to personalize your workspace. You feel rewarded and satisfied to get the job done when you see things that bring you joy.
You are more than enough to be a vital part of the team!
Did you know a survey revealed seven out of ten employees felt excluded from their teams? I understand that exclusion can leave you feeling hurt and demotivated. Knowing that this exclusion can have severe and long-lasting consequences is essential. To be clear, about two-thirds of the workforce have experienced it!
Exclusion encompasses more than just missing out on lunch invites. It's about feeling unheard, disregarded and disconnected from your team. Even the most confident people can feel insecure because of anxiety. If you're feeling this way, please know it's okay to seek help from a professional counsellor. Remember, even top performers have doubts about themselves!
However, if we approach others with curiosity and a willingness to learn what it feels like to be in their shoes, we can find mutual encouragement and realize that we are not alone in our doubts. Let's make it our goal to turn our feelings of exclusion into a sense of connection.
Being open about your anxiety can provide successful icebreakers for understanding your colleagues. Please remember that it's okay to acknowledge your vulnerability and say things like, "I didn't sleep well last night" or "Did you see the news last night?" These simple statements can help ease the room's tension and build trust. Remember, there is no need to go into detail. Just honest communication about not feeling your best today can go a long way in establishing strong relationships. I'm here to support you in any way I can.
Kind Regards Dave
