Anxiety and Career Growth: Overcoming Workplace Worries
If you had to make a list of factors that could hamper career growth, you probably wouldn’t consider anxiety. Sure, anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health disorders, but they’re still not automatically associated with work issues. This is one of the ways anxiety can be insidious. It’s pervasive but not always obvious. For example, you may know intuitively that something is “off” on the job, but you just can’t pinpoint the source.
No job is perfect, and everyone has some workplace worries. But if you find that your career is consistently and negatively impacting your life, anxiety could be the root cause.
Is Your Anxiety Limited to the Workplace?
When anxious thoughts arise at work, they could be related to deadlines, workloads, conflict with co-workers, and more. This scenario can lead you to dread going to work, lose sleep, constantly talk about job-related problems, and think about quitting. However, most likely, the anxiety you experience is not limited to any single part of your life. That said, it can wreak havoc in any given setting — like the workplace, e.g.:
Feeling unmotivated, irritable, and losing confidence in yourself
Resenting co-workers and not socializing with the team
Taking off more and more days
Struggling with physical ailments that have no obvious explanation
In other words, an undiagnosed anxiety disorder has begun holding you back.
A Few Ways Anxiety Can Hurt Your Career
Lack of Networking: Someone who hates their job, feels distant from co-workers, and lacks self-confidence is not likely to engage in the kind of networking needed to advance their career.
Earning Less Money: Quite often, the employees getting raises and promotions are those who make their presence felt in an ongoing, positive way. Anxiety can make such behavior feel unsafe.
Communication Breakdown: It’s hard for you to be properly appreciated if you don’t connect with others — including management. Never chiming in during work meetings could be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
4 Ways to Overcome Workplace Worries
1. Practice Daily Self-Care
Regardless of the location, your needs must not be neglected. Make wise eating choices. Prioritize regular sleep patterns. Daily physical activity is a must. Learning some relaxation techniques can also be invaluable in lowering stress. Self-care builds the resilience you need to ward off stress and maintain emotional balance.
2. Communication
If you’re struggling at the workplace, talk to management and close colleagues. Get the support you need to thrive and help the company. This isn’t about scheduling a gripe session. Rather, you’re opening the door to a productive dialogue that can benefit everyone.
3. Stay Organized
Workplace worries will decrease when you feel more in control. Keep track of your triggers and take healthy steps to negate those negative influences. This may involve better time management or uncluttering your workspace. Whatever it is, make it part of your daily life — at work and elsewhere.
4. Work-Life Boundaries Are Crucial
Your hours aren’t 24/7. Set firm but friendly boundaries for your availability and job description. It may, at first, feel daunting to do so, but it’ll go a long way in gaining respect in the workplace while reducing the worries that are cramping your style.
Anxiety is a Diagnosable Mental Health Disorder
Everyone feels nervous or worried from time to time. But if your career is suffering from the outcomes of chronic anxiety, you’d do well to consult a professional. Under the guidance of a skilled therapist, you can uncover the underlying causes and cultivate new approaches to managing life’s ups and downs. If you find yourself nodding along when reading this post, we should connect and talk soon.
