How to Deal With Anxiety at Work
Of all the ways an anxiety disorder can disrupt your life, its effects in your workplace can be the most impactful. Anxiety at work might make you irritable and lash out at your co-workers. It could cause you to turn down promotions to advance your career because you are too nervous about assuming the extra responsibilities. It may also be why you have trouble maintaining good working relationships with your colleagues.
Though some work-related stress is inevitable, here are some strategies you can try to manage your anxiety and move forward with your career goals.
1. Switch to Remote or Hybrid Work
Between the commute, frequent meetings and ongoing interruptions, working full-time in a traditional office setting can be stressful. Fortunately, remote and hybrid options are more accessible than ever before. Working from home gives you opportunities to control your environment, cut down on non-essential meetings and complete tasks on a flexible schedule. If you are self-directed and work well independently, you may also find your productivity increases when you can eliminate distractions from your day.
2. Talk to a Therapist
It can be beneficial to have a non-judgmental person to talk to when you need help coping with life’s challenges. A therapist can educate you on your anxiety symptoms and equip you with tools for managing them. Therapy is also a healthy outlet when you feel burned out and are struggling to keep your head above water.
3. Tell Your Colleagues About Your Anxiety
If you feel comfortable doing so, you can be honest with your supervisor and other team members about having anxiety. When others understand the daily challenges of having a mental illness, they can be more accepting and tolerant. You might then want to ask your employer to make reasonable accommodations, such as moving your desk to a quieter area or giving you designated daily time to work independently with fewer interruptions.
4. Avoid Workplace Toxicity
Any job can become toxic if the overall atmosphere and attitudes are distressing enough to spill over into other areas of your life. If you dread going to work because you do not get enough support from your co-workers or you are exhausted by gossip and other undercurrents of workplace politics, do your best to ignore the negativity. It could be time to start searching for a new job if toxicity has pervaded the entire culture and the company leadership is unwilling to address it.
5. Set Boundaries
Boundaries can apply to any relationship in your life, even the ones you have in your work environment. If you have anxiety, be assertive and communicate clearly that people must respect your mental health needs. When someone oversteps the lines you’ve drawn, let them know immediately. For example, if a colleague wants to complain to you about someone else and you have no desire to get dragged into the drama, politely change the subject or find a way to end the conversation.
6. De-Stress After Work
If you have anxiety, it’s vital to find a productive way to channel your stress. Every day after work, devote some time to healthy self-care activities like meditating, exercising, gardening, painting or journaling.
You Deserve to Find Happiness
Anxiety and addiction frequently co-occur, with the conditions magnifying each other’s symptoms. If you are ready to seek help for the parts of your life that feel out of control, Beach House is here for you. Since 2016, we’ve helped adults overcome addiction with love, connection and compassion. To learn more about our vision, please call our admissions counselors 24/7 at 844-318-3425 or contact us online.