5 tips on eliminating anxiety from your work life

Eliminating anxiety is not the first thing on your mind after graduating from university.  Most people hope to land a steady job and finally obtain financial stability, and with it, peace of mind. But more often than not, reality is not that kind. 

With anxiety disorders ranking as the most common illnesses worldwide, it’s easy to theorize just how much of that anxiety is because of work. Luckily, there are things that can be done to help eliminating anxiety and some of the stress that builds up at the workplace.

Having hospitalised myself in the past through an autoimmune condition, which is heavily linked to anxiety being the cause, I know first hand how work and life factors can contribute to anxiety and how to manage it.

If anxiety got the best of you, here are some strategies that can help you in eliminating anxiety from your working life:

 

Identify the Source of Your Anxiety 

So you found out that your anxiety, or part of it, stems from work, but do you know exactly what the root cause is and how to start eliminating anxiety?

Now, there might be a couple of issues that can trigger your anxiety, but some of the most common ones are related to: 

  • Your relationship with your coworkers
  • Your relationship with your employer 
  • The number of tasks that you have
  • The responsibilities or lack of responsibilities that come with your position
  • A lack of communication
  • Little to no training for a new role you have received 

 

All of these things have the potential to negatively affect you and your professional life. So what you need to do first is to step back and take a close look at the bigger picture. Try to recall how a normal workday goes by for you, and attempt to identify the exact moment your anxiety starts kicking in. 

Is it perhaps at social events from work? Or maybe when you have a one-on-one meeting with your boss? 

Finding the root of the problem will help you figure out how you can solve it and how to eliminate anxiety from your work life.  

 

Eliminating Anxiety 

We all know that different problems require different solutions. Depending on what causes your anxiety, you might have to do different things to get rid of it. 

In the previous section, we have seen some of the most common things that can cause anxiety in the workplace. Now let’s find out what solutions there are:

 

1. Make an Effort To Know Your Colleagues 

This is easier said than done, especially if you’re an introverted or shy person. But don’t get me wrong! I don’t mean that you should go to work one day and start chatting everybody up. That will definitely strike people as odd, especially if you’re a person that usually keeps to themselves. 

Instead, what you can do is start with making some small talk with the people sitting next to you. Ask about little things, and as you get to know more about them, try bonding over common interests. If there are none, you can at least talk about work-related subjects. 

The truth is that work is a much more enjoyable place when you have nice people around you. 

 

2. Avoid Negativity 

The sad reality is that bullying can be present in the workplace. In fact, 23% of British employees have been bullied at work, while 25% have felt left out of the group. It comes as no surprise that encountering this kind of behavior at work can cause tremendous stress and anxiety. 

Whether you have colleagues talking behind your back and spreading false rumours about you, or you have to deal with a mean-spirited boss, you need to take action.

If your fellow employees are a problem, try talking with your boss or team leader about it. If your supervisor will not take the necessary steps to stop this behavior or is an active participant, then you should head over to HR. 

The HR employees will definitely know what needs to be done, and you can forward a complaint, which may sound extreme but actually a HR partner should know how to facilitate and mediate conflict. If not, they will have access to someone who can. 

 

3. Concentrate on Work 

Distractions can come to us in different forms. Maybe you want to discuss with a colleague about last night’s football game, or you simply lose track of time scrolling through Facebook. Socializing with your coworkers or taking breaks is not inherently a bad thing. 

The issue appears when you spend too much time on these activities. Let’s say that you procrastinate too much and you only have four hours to complete the tasks that you should have done in eight. So you rush through your tasks, worried that you won’t finish in time. 

There are two things that cause anxiety in this situation— the lack of time, and the uncertainty you have regarding your work’s quality. 

To avoid this, make sure that you stay productive by setting small goals and timeboxing your activities. You can also use a reward system where you offer yourself small rewards for completing certain tasks. 

4. Know When To Ask for Help

Sometimes, giving your best is just not good enough. You might have tried completing your tasks, and in the beginning, things worked out somehow. But each day it becomes increasingly harder for you to keep up, and the fact that you will not be able to fulfill your role gives you anxiety.

This might happen due to several reasons. You’re either not prepared for a position you have received, your company didn’t offer the training and training materials you needed, or you’re experiencing burnout. 

No matter what the reason is, the answer is the same —  you need to seek help. Ask your supervisor for a meeting where you can present your issues and brainstorm solutions. Try proposing some more training time, or your superior taking some of the responsibilities off of your shoulders. 

If you’re experiencing burnout, the best solution is to take some time off and try some easy ways to destress. 

 

5. Look for Something New 

For some, just the thought of going to work can be the source of significant anxiety. If you’re one of these people, then maybe you should consider looking for another job else. 

Changing jobs is definitely an important step, and one that needs to be considered carefully. 

The cause of work-related anxiety can be a stressful environment or upsetting interactions with customers. Even not liking your current job is a valid reason for quitting and looking for a new source of income. In this case, you might want to look for an entirely different career path. 

And remember, never feel guilty for prioritizing yourself and ripping yourself from an anxiety-inducing job. You’re doing what’s best for everyone.

 

Bottom Line 

Eliminating anxiety is not always easy. And there is the possibility that there are also other factors in your life that can cause you to be anxious and stressed. If not eliminated, anxiety can lead to depression and a series of health problems. 

By far one of the best ways to effectively deal with anxiety is getting a life coach. Why a life coach, you might ask. It’s because a life coach can help you get your professional life in check, while also pushing you to improve your health and your personal life.

With a life coach as your guide, you can improve in all the departments. So if you want to turn your life around and live better, with no anxiety, then contact me today.