Your career is your livelihood. It’s how you survive, make ends meet, and provide for yourself and your family.
Whether you actually love your job or not, it’s important to you. It’s an essential necessity of life. You try not to bring your work home with you. But you also try not to let your personal life affect your work, either.
But there are some things in life that are unavoidable, no matter how hard you try. Anxiety just so happens to be one of those things. Whether you’re stressed about an upcoming project, you’re having a hard time meeting a deadline, or you have a sales quota to hit, anxiety is common and normal, especially in the workplace.
That being said, it’s not something that you just have to sit back and deal with. Here are 4 ways to reduce anxiety at work.
1. Set Boundaries
Boundaries may seem like a harsh ask or even something that you can’t actually have in a workplace, but they’re an important part of life and healthy relationships, no matter the type of relationship that is formed. Boundaries are what help protect your overall mental health and wellness. They’re a way for you to determine what you’re looking for in all areas of your life so that you can communicate those wants and needs to others so they can respect your wishes. Here are just a few of the many different work boundaries you can set:
- Working specific hours
- Saying “no” if your plate is full
- Not answering emails or phone calls after your working hours
- Speaking up if you feel uncomfortable
2. Take Breaks
Take breaks when you need them. Just because your workday may start at 8:00 or 9:00 am and last until 5:00 or 6:00 pm doesn’t mean that you have to be chained to your desk all day long. You’re allowed to take breaks throughout the day. You could leave your desk to go to the restroom, fill up your water bottle, make or go out to lunch, get a cup of coffee, or grab a snack. Your breaks could also mean taking some time to scroll on your phone, squeeze in an appointment during your day, or visit a coworker to talk about something. Taking a break may also mean extended time off in the form of a personal day or vacation.
3. Take Care of Yourself
When you take care of yourself, you’re ensuring that you feel good from the inside out. Eating clean can help reduce the chances of falling victim to your cravings. Plus, when you eat well, you start to feel better about yourself. When you get at least eight hours of sleep each night, your body and brain are rested and ready for whatever life throws at you each day. Exercise is a proven way to reduce anxiety and stress levels, and improve one’s mood, as well as one’s overall physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet, prioritizing your sleep, and finding ways to move your body can help alleviate and reduce the stress and anxiety that you’re experiencing in your life.
4. Seek Additional Support
There are other ways for you to reduce anxiety when you’re at work. There isn’t a true replacement for seeking additional support through a licensed and trained mental health professional. Even though anxiety can be normal and common, it doesn’t mean that everyone who struggles with it is just expected to continue struggling with no hope of things getting better. Working with a mental health professional can help you get to the root cause of your anxiety, help you work through any signs and systems you’re experiencing, and give you the necessary tools to move forward in your life again. Reach out today if you’re interested in learning more about how therapy can help reduce your workplace anxiety. Read more about the anxiety therapy we offer here.