Studies Show Workplace Anxiety Can Cause Early Death: Simple Tips To Avoid It

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When you suffer from workplace anxiety, it can feel like going to work every day is a struggle. Anxiety affects one in four people in the western world. In the long-term, anxiety can lead to depression. Studies have shown that the problem can lead to premature death in young adults. You are not alone when it comes to feeling anxious and fearing new environments. When you are working with others, you need to find ways to ensure that you deal with your nerves. You can’t run away from your problems. You need to face them head on, but it will be easier than you imagine. Here are some simple ways to deal with your workplace anxiety.

Identify the problem

Is there one thing that is stressing you on a daily basis? Anxiety is a form of fear, and so you need to figure out what is scaring you. Often people fear work-related rejection or failing to meet a deadline. You may be avoiding thinking about the things that scare you, but that is a bad move. Your fears are haunting you; they are lingering in your subconscious. It is time to face your fears so that you can move forward in your career.

Take regular breaks at work

When you begin to feel anxious at work, take a break. You don’t have to take long breaks, but having a moment to yourself will help. You know how it feels when a wave of anxiety comes over you. As that is happening, make the decision not to let it ruin your day. Step outside the office and have a moment alone. You could go to the bathroom or make yourself a hot drink. Having a minute away from the busy office atmosphere will help you a great deal.

Use breathing exercises

Breathing exercises are an easy way to take control of your emotions. When you feel anxious, you often lose control of the way you act. Try some easy breathing exercises so that you can take back the power over yourself. Breathe in and out ten times. When you hold your breath, make sure that you count to three. This method works in two basic ways. Firstly, it means that you get loads of oxygen, and so you can think in a clearer way. Secondly, it gives you a moment to think about the situation without panic clouding your judgment.

Opt for large meeting rooms

One of the worst times for people who suffer from anxiety is group scenarios. When you have to sit with a group of strangers for an hour or two, you might find the situation stressful. Meetings are an inevitable part of any business. There is no way you can avoid attending business meetings. You can make sure that you get spacious meeting rooms, though, and you should do so. When you look at office space for business meetings in Manchester, make sure that you choose large spaces. Open-plan rooms work best as they allow everybody to have some space.

Talk to people you trust

When you are having mental problems, it will always help to talk to some people that you trust. Confide in close friends or family members. Remember, there is no shame in admitting that you have weaknesses. Everybody needs a little help from time to time. Reaching out to people and asking for their guidance will seem hard to begin with, but it becomes easier over time. When you see how caring and supportive people are, you will wonder why you didn’t talk to them sooner. One of the hardest things you will ever do is ask for help, but once you’ve done it, you can start to get better.

Take up some hobbies

Don’t go home from work and spend the evening stressing about everything that happened during the day. That is the worst possible thing you can do. Instead, you need to make sure that you have a social life outside of work. Creating a work and life balance is the perfect way to improve how you feel about your job. When you develop other skills and passions, you will feel that you have more in your life than just work. That will mean that you feel less anxious about the things that cause you stress in work.

Make your problems into stories

When you have problems at work, one way to deal with them is to make them into stories. Think about ways you can deal with your problems. Write your problems down in a book as if they happened to someone else. Psychologists say that this method works well. Create a character who has to deal with your problems. When you see your problems in the form of a story, it helps you to create a distance between yourself and your issues. You can’t change your problems, but you can change the way that you feel about them.

Make a list of the things you love about work

This step is a little hard if you truly dislike your job. Make a list of all the things that you love about your current workplace. When people get anxious, they focus on all the negative things in their life. That in itself is unhealthy. When you fixate on negative things and emotions, your entire outlook on life will be dark. Instead, take some time to appreciate everything that is positive in your life. Make a list of everything that makes you happy about your job. You can choose tiny things like, “I like the coffee they serve at work,” or “I enjoy chatting to Mark during lunch.” Knowing what makes you happy in your workplace will help you focus on those aspects of the job, rather than negative things.

Remember, every day is a new chance

Every time you wake up in the morning, you have a new chance. One of the biggest problems with people who suffer from anxiety is that they get into a vicious cycle. That means that they feel as though each day is worse than the last. Break that cycle right now. Tomorrow, when you wake up, remind yourself that you have a fresh start. When you go to work, treat the day like a new beginning.