Photo by Alexander Dummer: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-sitting-in-front-of-the-laptop-computer-in-shallow-photo-133021/
If you have work anxiety, it can seriously affect the quality of your life at work. Stress and anxiety are very likely to affect your daily routines. Your performance at work can deteriorate, the quality reduces, and the relationships you have established with your workmates and supervisors are affected. It can even be more challenging for individuals who are already diagnosed with anxiety disorders.
What Causes Work-Related Anxiety?
- Pressure to meet deadlines.
- Having to deal with difficult supervisors and colleagues
- A conflict in your place of work can cause anxiety.
- Not being able to communicate effectively.
If you have anxiety, the first thing you should do is create a wellness plan. Eat healthily, get enough sleep, exercise, and join as many social activities as possible. Other than following these common remedies and seeking professional help, follow the following strategies to reduce work-related anxiety:
Know Your Colleagues
Try to have a good relationship with the people you work with. This makes it easier to communicate and solve any problems between you, rather than venting to other people. You can kick things off by simply knowing their names and what they do around your workplace.
Ask for Clarification
When you don’t understand a task you’ve been assigned, it’s in your best advantage to ask for clarification or ask a coworker to help or guide you. The worst-case scenario is that you won’t be able to finish the project.
Avoid Gossiping
Even though you can get some temporary entertainment or relief from gossiping about other coworkers at your workplace, it creates stress and tension. Avoiding negativity is a step in the right direction when dealing with anxiety. Rather than venting to a third-party colleague, try solving the issues with the person you are conflicting with.
Set Deadlines That You Can Meet
People with anxiety tend to agree to a timeline or a deadline that they are not sure they can meet. Being honest about it upfront is better than having to apologize, plus you get the advantage of completing the task at a comfortable pace.
Use a Neutral Language
Learn to use a calming and neutral tone with your colleagues. It helps to reduce other people’s anxiety and to avoid disagreements. Listen to everyone’s opinion and try to work together for a good solution if you disagree with them. Using neutral language and giving everyone a chance to communicate their thoughts will improve your relationship with them and help with your anxiety.
Keeping Contact
Do not cut off or avoid the colleagues that make you uncomfortable at work. Avoiding people is usually a quick answer, especially in a workplace where you are constantly bound to run into each other. Approaching the problems head-on and communicating the problem is a much better solution. It is okay to have different opinions.
Have Conversations
You can’t understand your colleagues’ intentions. If you need to clear up with them, talk to them about it. Issues at work can make you nervous, so don’t be afraid to clarify them.
Prioritize the Facts
You can quickly lose track of the conversation’s direction when you feel misunderstood or overloaded. You can lower your anxiety by controlling what you communicate, which controls what the other person says. Verbalize the exact problem rather than beating around the bush or starting fights. Remember, it’s about resolving the problem, not winning the argument. You can also have someone mediate the confrontation to keep the conversation in check.
Access The Resources Available at Your Workplace
Most workplaces provide their employees with counseling services through EAPs, and in some cases, connect the employees to mental health resources that can help them manage their anxiety. You can also get CBD wax to help ease your anxiety.
It can sometimes be challenging to own up and seek professional help, but it will motivate other colleagues suffering from work-related anxiety to speak up. In the long run, your workplace becomes less toxic, and the environment at work becomes more conducive.
Bottom Line.
Dealing with your anxiety is beneficial not only to you but also to your colleagues. When you are less anxious, you will be able to create good relationships with the people around you, improve how you communicate with others, seek help when you need to, and improve everyone’s experience at work.
