One of the many problems that people in South Africa deal with daily regarding their mental health is experiencing feelings of anxiety while at work. However, despite its prevalence, it should not be treated flippantly for any reason at all. You need to find coping mechanisms that are reliable and effective to alleviate the anxiety that you feel; this is because becoming overly anxious can hurt your health.
Having an awareness of one’s mental health is an essential component of this process. If you are experiencing feelings of being overwhelmed or incapable of moving forward, you should talk to a mental health counselor. There are some strategies that you can implement to feel less anxious and tense while you are at your place of employment, and these strategies can be very helpful. In the following paragraphs, we will discuss effective ways for you to deal with anxiety while at work.
Don’t Hold Back Your Emotions In Any Way
Since you are probably trying to maintain as much productivity as is humanly possible, it is reasonable that you would make an immediate step to quash your feelings while you are at work. However, this is a move that will not help the situation and will likely make your anxiety feelings and overwhelmed even worse. Instead, you should prepare yourself mentally for the fact that anxiety and stress will be a part of your working life at some point or another.
It is in your best interest to give space to anxious feelings when you are experiencing them. Frequently, the presence of these types of feelings is an attempt to draw your focus to something, such as a job at hand that you may not be capable of completing by yourself or a scenario that makes you feel nervous. If you acknowledge these emotions rather than repress them, you can make anxiety less debilitating over the long term and reduce its impact on your life.
Always Inquire About Something
It is preferable to encounter uncomfortable feelings for a few moments now rather than have to struggle with a task for several hours in the future. You may feel insecure when requesting assistance or asking others for clarification. You will have a better understanding of the task at hand, which can help to reduce the overall amount of anxiety you are experiencing in the long run.
In addition, show your bosses that you are serious about your role and making an effort to perform to the best of your abilities, you can demonstrate this by asking for assistance and clarification. This will be helpful in terms of performance reviews, and it will also help to alleviate any anxious feelings you have regarding your performance. If you are provided with the unambiguous direction regarding your work, responsibilities, and role, you may find that you have a greater sense of self-assurance in your workplace.
Take Notes While Being Mindful
When it comes to coping with and controlling anxiety in the workplace, one of the most helpful ways to do so is to keep careful notes about the times it occurs and the circumstances that might make it worse. For instance, you might find that your anxiety is at its worst after lunchtime, when there are fewer hours left in the day; or you might experience anxiety right before you have to give a presentation to your team.
Being aware of the things that can set off your anxiety is an important part of maintaining mental health and will assist you in keeping track of the things that are causing you to feel anxious. After that, you can analyze the circumstances and make adjustments to either your environment or the way you respond to various circumstances. While you are working, keep these notes close at hand so you can add to them whenever it is necessary, which will allow you to control your anxiety more effectively.
Don’t Overcomplicate Deadlines
When you are dealing with anxiety, you are more likely to make decisions that are not in your best interest, such as agreeing to deadlines that are impossible to meet. However, this frequently results in a heightened state of anxiety for the person experiencing it. Instead of having to apologize for missing deadlines in the future, it is preferable to be upfront and honest about whether or not you will be able to meet them.
To prevent your anxiety from becoming unmanageable or excessively high, you should limit the amount of work that you take on to an amount that you are capable of managing. Talk to your boss about how much work you have, and clarify that you can only take on a certain number of new responsibilities each day or week. Your positive mental health is critical to the efficient operation of your team, and as a result, the more experienced members of your group should be willing to meet your requirements. You’ll be able to keep up your work standards while simultaneously lowering your stress level if you accept fewer deadlines.
Take Good Care of Yourself
Anxiety can be effectively managed through the practice of self-care. It may be possible for you to reduce the symptoms of your anxiety by paying attention to your emotions and leading a healthy lifestyle. You can effortlessly practice self-care by doing things like selecting a healthy diet, increasing the number of hours you sleep each night, and incorporating a regular exercise routine into your day-to-day activities.
Self-care is not a self-centered coping method; rather, it is an essential one. It is something that has the potential to make you more personable, more professional, and more capable of taking on additional work. Because anxiety can cause you to feel mentally and physically exhausted, particularly when you’re at work, it’s important to take care of both your body and your mind as much as possible.
Obtaining Professional Counseling for Anxiety and Stress
Even if you have untreated anxiety, you can still have a life that is full of meaning and purpose. People who suffer from anxiety can gain a better understanding of themselves and their condition with the assistance of professionals in the mental health field.