How to cope with ANXIETY at work.
Hello Gorgeous Creatures.
I’m certain that the majority of you will all have been impacted by rising anxiety and stress levels since the start of the pandemic, living in an unknown landscape and seeing the world crumble around us. I’m not afraid to say that I have been a complete mess, so much so that I isolated myself from the word for months so I wouldn’t have to confront those anxious feelings.
Thankfully, I have been fortunate enough to receive professional help to overcome these issues!
Over the last few months, I’ve been working with a brilliant therapist who has imparted some wonderfully effective ways to manage anxiety. Particularly helpful whilst negotiating the workplace in this strange new world that we live in.
I thought i’d share a few tips that I have found most helpful thus far. :)
1: PREPARATION IS FUNDAMENTAL.
A successful week of anxiety management requires some preparation. “Fill yourself “ full of everything you need to thrive.
The first step is to manage your mindset. Make sure you are rested properly from the week before so you are best able to be grounded and calm yourself before the week begins. For me this means, Sundays are sacred.
I don’t do anything on a Sunday unless its will help the week ahead as stress free as possible. (If you work a different shift pattern, choose one of your days off to prepare in the same way.)
My 5 Sunday Rules: 1. Movement 2. Meditation 3. Meal Prep 4. Planning 5. Practice
I like to start my Sunday by moving my body in a way that i’m not able to fit in during the working week, so an extra long yoga session or a big hike in the Chilterns (preferably both) are my go to’s. The key is to find something you enjoy, there’s no point trying to establish a yoga practice if you hate every second of it!
To end my day, I take some meditation time. Not necessarily sitting cross legged on the floor and listening to singing bowls, although always lovely, but a ritual bath or a quiet cup of camomile tea enjoyed in the garden can work just the same. The time to clear your head and wind down before bed can drastically help reduce those pesky racing thoughts that keep us awake all night.
Between those, comes planning and meal prep. I sit with my Life Planner Journal and write down everything I am doing in the week. Then I find little gaps in the days where I schedule something nice to do for myself. A phone call with mom, buying a treat, dinner out with friends etc. Little moments of light so there is always something to look forwards to when you become overwhelmed. Meal preparation comes next. I like to plan out and get a head start preparing meals for the week so I don’t have to cook and clean every day as the pressure of that adds to my anxiety!
Last on my list, I call practice. It is reminding myself that I am not perfect and all the steps I take to feel better are merely that. Managing anxiety takes practice and persistence. Feeling my best is a constant process not an end goal. Judging bad moments you have will just hold you back, accept everything you do as part of the journey and keep moving forwards.
2: BREATHE THROUGH IT
I never had paid much attention to my breathing before now, but the power of breath work is so helpful when you need to ground yourself. Taking a moment, to be mindful of the breaths you are taking can do wonders high anxiety moment to remind you that you are viable, alive and you are safe.
Unclench your jaw, relax your shoulders and breathe. You are going to be okay.
3: MAKE A PLAN
Having a “doomsday” plan in place can help ease some of the worry of a panic attack, or whatever your worse case scenario may be. This has helped me to deal with avoidant behaviors and get me back out in the world again, as if the worst happens, I know exactly how I will deal with the eventuality.
Step by step, what you need to do to either distract, calm or save you. What to say to yourself and others, what to do, to go for a walk, change the scenery if possible, whether to get a glass of water or a tea etc… Who to call, your tried and trusted friends or family. Contact information for professional services like SHOUT (Text SHOUT to 85258), SAFE HAVEN (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday call 01296 453017. Thursday, Friday and Saturday call 01494 218098. 6pm - 11pm) or SAMARITANS (116 123) for example.
And for those real emergencies when you feel like there is no way out, NHS 111 and 999 will always be there for you.
Write it down clearly, store in in your phone. Make sure it’s with you at all times.
4: BE OPEN
We’ve all heard the saying “a problem shared is a problem halved” and there aren’t many sayings that ring as true as this, especially for anxiety management. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing your struggles with the whole workplace, choose one or two that you trust. Give them the insight what to look out for when you’re feeling overwhelmed and let them know some of your established coping mechanisms they can talk you through.
If a person is open to listening to your worries, allow them to, maybe seeing your words reflected back to you will help you rationalise and refocus. A lot of times, for me at least, verbalising a “hypothetical worry’, by that i mean something that I can’t effect change in the moment, helps me to realise that I need not be focusing my energy there and allows me space to deal with the side effect of anxiousness.
If there is someone you really trust, share your doomsday plan with them too. This person need not be someone at work, but making someone else of that plan can make it easier to use as a coping tool.
5: NO JUDGEMENT
On the journey to anxiety management, there are no backward steps.
Every experience can be one of learning. The ability to introduce doubt where you believe the worst case scenario is inevitable, because you survived it once, will set you on a path to overcoming those fears. If you have a bad day, it doesn’t mean that your hard work has been for nothing. What you do know is that the day was a challenge, and you survived!
You know that you are strong and you do have control! You have the power, not the fears’.
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Please bare in mind that I am not a professional and I am simply writing from the experience of a continuing journey. Please seek professional help if you are struggling. I promise you won’t regret it.
I hope you find something helpful in what i’ve written!
Lots of Love
