Feeling anxious at work?

8 Simple Ways

to make sure you stay on top of your game when the demons set

in..

Of course it’s natural for pretty much everybody to suffer from some level of anxiety in their lives from time to time, but there are many people who struggle to cope with anxiety every day.

Statistics suggest that

about a

QUARTER OF PEOPLE

see their jobs as the

greatest cause of stress

in their lives and that

mental health issues are

one of the main causes

of absence from work.

The mental health

charity Mind state that

nearly 5 in 100 people

suffer from anxiety, so

there’s a strong chance

that even if you don’t

struggle with the issue, it

will affect someone you

know or work with.

HOW TO

SPOT

THE SIGNS

If you experience prolonged periods of intense

worry that seem disproportionate, tend to feel

nervous, fearful, restless or overloaded with

thoughts, it’s possible anxiety has started to

challenge your mental wellbeing. The physical

symptoms of anxiety can be alarming – nausea,

headaches, sweating, increased heart rate and

hot flushes leave you ill equipped to manage your

day. Panic attacks can be really frightening and

your sleep may be affected.

Anxiety at work is a really difficult experience. Even

if your main source of worry is your personal life,

when anxiety sets in it can spill over into your

working world and have a considerable impact.

You may fret about how you are performing or begin

feeling inadequate compared to peers in similar roles. Tasks

that others appear to take in their stride could feel extra

daunting to you, and you might have concerns about

looking lazy or incompetent.

 

It’s also possible you’ll find communication more strained, and problem solving or managing negotiations could become very stressful. Your response to deadlines might appear negative and you may begin to worry about job security.  

In the worst case, you might fear having a panic

attack at work or you’ll become withdrawn,

demotivated and unable to meet your potential.

You may decide you can’t apply for promotion or

showcase your talents, and you may even

consider giving up your job if you start to feel

really out of control.

If you suffer from anxiety and you’re worried

about how it can affect you at work, it’s important

to seek support. Many opt to visit a GP who will try

and understand what is going on and signpost

you to the most appropriate help. Or you may

choose to seek help from one of the many private

therapists available. Self-help and personal

awareness are incredibly important too.

Here are 8 simple tips to help you stay on top of your working life…

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(1) Talk to your employer. Tell them you suffer from

anxiety and explain what this means for you. It might be

that you’re likely to feel pressured if asked to speak in

front of groups without preparation or you’ll be

particularly nervous about appraisals. Good

organisations know it’s not useful to stigmatise mental

health issues and will support you.

(2) Organise your working week. Take a realistic view

of the tasks you need to complete and the time you

need to get things done. Keep a diary and to-do lists so

that you know where you are with your schedule and

don’t feel snowed under.

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(3) Implement clear boundaries around your workload

so that you don’t feel pressured to take on additional

tasks that are going to cause you extra stress. If there is

a need to do overtime or provide cover for colleagues

who are absent, talk to your employer about what

would be manageable for you and agree a clear work

plan.

(4) Be self aware about your communication. If you start

to feel the symptoms of anxiety presenting, be mindful

of how you’re interacting with colleagues or talking to

customers on the phone. If necessary, take time out for

a few minutes’ peace or relaxing breathing before

returning to the busy office environment. If you’ve been

open with your employer about your anxiety, then your

Manager and team will be aware of your needs when

things get difficult.

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(5) Take the regular designated breaks during your

working day and use this time wisely. If deep breathing

or mindfulness techniques help you manage your

anxiety then find a quiet place to take stock of things.

Many organisations provide a ‘quiet room’ for staff

breaks, and if you’re not lucky enough to have access

to this kind of facility, ask if it is possible to use an empty

office for a few minutes.

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(6) Get some fresh air by enjoying a lunchtime walk in

the park or at least get outdoors if you can. Your energy

for the rest of the day will be boosted by a little exercise

and being around trees and plants always helps.

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(7) Don’t be tempted to use smoking, sugar-fixes or

caffeine boosts to get through the day. These choices

might seem to offer temporary relief if you’re feeling

challenged, but in the long term they are known to

exacerbate anxiety and other mental health issues.

Grab a fresh juice or smoothie, a chamomile or lemon

tea and choose snacks like fresh fruit or nuts to keep

your blood glucose stable.

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(8) Engage in wellbeing activities. If your employer

offers wellbeing opportunities as part of your package,

lays on a lunchtime yoga session or arranges a

motivational talk be sure to attend. It can help to break

up your working day with something different. You’ll

have the opportunity to bond with colleagues and

participate in something enjoyable and rewarding that

will shift you out of your worries and limitations.

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