Six useful tips to manage workplace anxiety

Whether you’re worrying about something specific, like an imminent deadline, or you just have a formless feeling of dread, you might be telling yourself something along these lines: “You’ve got to get back to work, stop worrying, stop obsessing, get your head back in the game and just focus!“ Seeing that fail, if you’re prone to catastrophising — which anxious people often are — the next thing you’ll worry about is that you’ll get fired.

So, then, you’ll worry about worrying. Soon enough, your mind will seem to have spiraled out of control, and you may even find yourself in the middle of a full-blown panic attack.

The conundrum of getting anxious over getting anxious can seem inescapable, especially when the things you’re obsessing about are work-related.

During such dark times, the temptation to break this vicious circle by smothering your anxiety and shouting “at” your mind to just shut up! can be huge.

But, by now, you probably know that simply doesn’t work — in fact, it can make things 10 times worse.

Stress interferes with your ability to perform in your job, manage your personal life or adversely impacts your health, it’s time to take action. We take a look at some of these ways below.

Regardless of whether you’re undergoing some form of therapy or not, however, you’ll hopefully find some comfort in this article.

Next time you feel like your mind is your greatest enemy, try to remember these things — and let us know if they’ve made your life any easier.

Know your triggers

Coping with workplace anxiety means learning what sets off your symptoms. When you know what will lead to periods of acute anxiety, you can take appropriate steps to mitigate the stress or possibly avoid the trigger altogether.

One technique for identifying anxiety triggers is to keep a journal and document when you start to feel anxious.

Over time, you’ll spot patterns and be able to figure out what triggers you. Start by tracking moments where you feel uncomfortable or anxious during the workday

Break bad habits

Workplace anxiety can be the result of working in a messy environment, always requiring perfection, and trying to control the uncontrollable. Turning these habits around can make an impact on your overall anxiety levels.

Understand that no project is ever going to be perfect, and that it doesn’t have to be. File work straight away and keep your desk clear.

Look for the good in your work instead of the bad and accept the aspects that are out of your control.

Set micro-goals

Managing anxiety at work is significantly easier when you break your goals down into bite-sized pieces, so you don’t overwhelm yourself.

If you’re trying to do more networking, for example, it’s much more reasonable to commit to attending one industry event per month rather than trying to fit one in per week.

Be realistic and honest with yourself about what you can achieve, and you’ll find yourself gaining momentum without pushing yourself too hard.

Learn when to say no and when to delegate

When work is hectic, it becomes all too easy to say “yes” even when you don’t understand how to do something.

But the discomfort of asking for help or clarification is worth it in the long run, and it can decrease overall anxiety about responsibilities.

Asking for help also communicates to your superiors that you genuinely care about doing a good job. Let go of the desire to control everything and realise you can’t do it all on your own. It’s okay to ask for help.

Deal with conflicts rather than avoiding them

It’s human instinct to avoid or cut off contact with people who make us uncomfortable, and the workplace is no exception. The problem with avoidance is that it’s only a very temporary solution.

That twisting feeling in your stomach or other work anxiety symptoms will only get worse over time the more you use distance as a way to manage disagreement, confusion, or other difficult emotions.

The more you approach problems and communication head-on, the less anxious it will make you over the long term.

Getting professional help for coping with workplace anxiety

While workplace anxiety can feel like it is overwhelming, there is a lot of hope. Remember, you don’t have to go through this alone. Anxiety is one of the most treatable mental illnesses.

Treatment for managing anxiety often includes either medication such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs or psychotherapy, such as counseling and cognitive behavior therapy. Sometimes a combination of both helps you find ways to manage anxiety at work or meets your specific needs.

Get help now over the phone or online by calling on 112/ 911/ 999 in the case of an emergency or 8004673 and 045192519 for counselling and therapy services. Indians in the UAE can call the Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK) centre on their 24/7 hotline at 80046342.

Your GP can also assess you, prescribe some medications, and refer you to a mental health professional if necessary.

If you’ve taken the above steps to address your anxiety at work but still haven’t seen improvement, your job may not be particularly well-suited to you.

You may wish to consider career counseling or a career coach, who will conduct assessments to determine which jobs you are likely to enjoy and in which you may excel.

If you would like to discuss your anxiety and how you can effectively manage it, schedule an appointment with us today.

Tooba Siddiqui, Clinical Psychologist at Camali Clinic.