Firstly what is anxiety? According to the NHS, anxiety is defined as a feeling nervous, on edge or panicky all the time, feeling overwhelmed or full of dread. In this blog, we are going to be discussing how to deal with anxiety at work and what you can do to ease your symptoms.
You are not alone
One of the hardest parts about anxiety is the feeling of being alone in your struggle, often we judge ourselves and as a result, are overcome with guilt. If you experience this type of internal chatter, try to take a moment, take in the situation and stop the thoughts in its tracks. Often we find ourselves overwhelmed by our own internal monologue. By just acknowledging it, you can realign yourself. A lot of the time we don’t even notice our internal chatter, we just feel the effects it causes. According to The National Institute of Mental Health by ignoring your feelings of anxiety, you are simply setting yourself up for failure. As upsetting as it may be to acknowledge your feelings, in the long term it will greatly benefit you.
COVID-19
The number of people reporting high levels of anxiety has sharply elevated during COVID, of those over 1 in 5 said that their work has been affected because they were finding working from home challenging. Communication is key, knowing that everyone is in the same situation. It’s important to be open and transparent to help one another. If you are struggling with feelings of anxiety, try talking to your manager if it’s remote working you are struggling with try to put some steps in place to alleviate this. In this uncertain time, it has never been more important, to be honest, and open (if you feel comfortable).
Dealing with anxiety at work
Did you know that 1 in 6.8 people are experiencing mental health problems in the workplace (14.7%)? Evidence suggests that 12.7% of all sickness absence days in the UK can be attributed to mental health conditions according to a study by ‘No Panic Anxiety’.
There are a lot more people suffering that you think, anxiety is designed to make you feel completely isolated and like you are the only person experiencing this. You may have much more company than you think. Understanding that it is nothing to be ashamed of is the first step to acceptance. If you feel close enough to your colleagues it may be worth communicating your feelings with them, sometimes just verbally expressing your anxieties can help relieve some of the pressure that’s bottled up inside.
Be proactive
Ok, so we’ve established you have anxiety and you are looking for ways to alleviate this during your working day. There are many steps you can take to try and organise your mindset for example:
Making a list - Arguably the oldest trick in the book, simply writing down what you have to do, when you have to do it etc can help you to feel less overwhelmed. The act of ticking and crossing off jobs can be quite satisfying.
Take regular breaks- By this, we don’t just mean taking 5 minutes to scroll through your phone, actually get up and go for a short walk, get some fresh air, make a cup of coffee. A change of environment can help you to stay on track and feel more productive when you sit back down.
Stay hydrated- Simple enough, just drink water. Drinking water has many benefits including enhancing concentration and making you feel more awake.
Nutrition - What you put into your body has a massive impact on how you feel day-to-day. Ensure that you are getting enough nutrients in your diet, by simply switching starchy foods for a cleaner, leaner veg you will already notice a difference in your mindset.
Anxiety doesn’t have a magic cure, it’s a process understanding this is the first step. If you are currently in between jobs and feeling anxious about getting back into the jobs market, check out our website and see how we can help you get instant access to the resources, training and skills you need to find your next position.