Is Anxiety Holding You Back at Work? Here's How to Tell
Does it seem like you can never quite reach the heights of success that you know are achievable?
Nothing is worse than having stress and anxiety take over your thoughts when trying to achieve something. If you're struggling to focus or feel like your productivity is suffering at work, it's important to assess whether anxiety may be holding you back.
Tips for Identifying if Anxiety is Affecting Your Work Performance
One of the most common signs that anxiety is holding you back at work is trouble concentrating. When we're anxious, our thoughts tend to race, and our fight-or-flight response is activated, making it difficult to focus and stay on task.
When coupled with the overwhelming feeling that there's too much to do and not enough time, trouble focusing can lead to further procrastination and, ultimately, falling behind at work. Eventually, this can contribute to even more anxiety.
So if you find yourself frequently overwhelmed, it's time to identify whether anxiety is to blame for this vicious cycle.
Here are some key signs that anxiety is interfering with your work performance or goals:
1. You're having trouble concentrating or finishing tasks.
2. You feel unmotivated and are procrastinating more than usual.
3. You feel more irritable or short-tempered with co-workers, clients, or customers.
4. You're skipping work or calling in sick more often.
5. Your quality of work has declined.
6. You avoid networking events or social gatherings related to work.
7. You're withdrawing from colleagues and friends at work.
8. You regularly feel overwhelmed, even by a typical workload.
9. You're constantly second-guessing yourself or doubting your abilities.
10. You're constantly worrying about deadlines, participating in meetings, or giving presentations.
11. You're avoiding certain tasks or projects.
12. You're experiencing physical symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, stomach problems, and difficulty sleeping that get in the way of completing your work.
How to Manage Anxiety at Work: Understanding Your Triggers
If you're struggling with anxiety at work, it's important to identify what's making you feel anxious. This can be tricky, as anxiety can be triggered by many factors, from those directly related to your job to your individual characteristics or circumstances outside work.
However, there are some common triggers that you can be on the lookout for.
You lack confidence or control.
If you're constantly being asked to do things that are outside of your wheelhouse or comfort zone, it can lead to feelings of anxiety.
To manage this, take control of your work environment as much as possible. If you regularly face unpredictable days or unrealistically short deadlines, talk to your manager and set boundaries so that you're only doing what you're comfortable with.
On the other hand, if certain tasks are expected of you that you don't feel comfortable with yet, don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to learn something and solidify your confidence in tackling certain unsettling tasks.
You feel incapable or inadequate.
Another trigger for anxiety at work is feeling like you're not good enough, whether you're comparing yourself to others or feeling like you're not meeting your standards. To combat this, focus on your progress and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small they may be.
You feel overwhelmed.
Having too much on your plate - or taking on more than you can handle - can contribute to a sense of overwhelm. To combat this, try to take things one step at a time, break down big projects into smaller tasks, and write down and schedule everything.
Furthermore, don't hesitate to speak up or ask for help when you're being assigned (or taking on) more than you can handle.
Moving Forward from Work Anxiety
Once you have identified some of your triggers, you can begin to develop a plan for how to deal with them, such as taking breaks when you feel anxious and practicing relaxation techniques, developing proactive routines to help manage anxiety, even outside of work hours.
Finally, developing a support system is key to managing anxiety, no matter where it shows up. Having a trusted colleague you can talk to can help you feel less alone and supported.
In some cases, anxiety at work can feel like too much to handle on your own, and you need professional guidance to help you develop ways to manage it all. If so, that's okay!
A therapist can help you get to the root of your struggles and shift from feeling inhibited to empowered, so reach out for help and get back on track to feeling calm, content, and motivated in the workplace.
Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as legal, financial, or medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional advice of your own attorney, accountant, physician, or financial advisor. Always check with your own physician, attorney, financial advisor, accountant, or other business or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.
