How to Reduce Work Anxiety
Do you feel anxious before or during work? Maybe you feel completely drained after work due to the anxiety and stress you experience throughout the day. And we can’t forget the Sunday Scaries!
Work can cause you to feel anxious for many different reasons - heavy workload, demanding deadlines, disorganization, workplace drama, and more.
We typically spend a significant amount of time at work, so it’s important that it is a place where you don’t feel high amounts of stress and anxiety.
Although you can’t completely avoid every person, situation, or thing that might cause work anxiety, there are strategies you can use to try to reduce it.
In this blog post, I’ll offer suggestions for various strategies you might want to try.
Take Your Lunch Break
When you work non-stop, even through your lunch break, it’s no wonder you’re feeling stressed and anxious.
Maybe you take your lunch break, but you find yourself working while you eat.
You might feel pressure to continue working all day, but you will actually be more productive when you do take breaks and moments of rest throughout the day.
One way to do this is to make sure to schedule time for a lunch break and to only use that time for lunch and relaxation, no work tasks allowed during this time.
Slow Down
You may be wondering what you should do if you do take a lunch break but still feel anxious throughout or after a work day?
In this case, it’s important to take time to slow down.
I know, I know. This can be difficult in some workplace environments, but it’s so important to give yourself even 5 minutes of rest a few times throughout the day.
Take a 5 minute break at your desk, in the bathroom, or step outside.
Consider practicing grounding techniques, mindfulness, or deep breathing during these short breaks and try to take between 1-3 breaks each day.
If you’re able to take a longer break, consider taking a walk.
These breaks will help you slow down and give your mind and or body the rest it needs.
Decompress After Work
Just like any other stress or anxiety, work anxiety can easily build up if it’s not being addressed.
I know life after work can be stressful, but anxiety management doesn’t have to take a lot of your time.
If you can make time for even one of the following suggestions for 10-30 minutes, you will be doing yourself and your anxiety levels a huge favor.
Here are some suggestions to decompress after work:
On Your Way Home
Listen to music or podcast
Take a new route or longer route home
When You Get Home
Take time to relax before starting other responsibilities like chores or cooking dinner
Relax with activities like reading, deep breathing, or a mindfulness technique
Do enjoyable physical movement
Do another enjoyable activity
Use one of these ways to complete the stress response cycle
Beating the Sunday Scaries
Normalize How You Feel
I’m a strong believer that no matter how much you like your job, you’d rather not be at work.
There’s nothing wrong with that! Work is called work for a reason.
Society tries to sell this idea that there are “dream jobs” and that if you find the right job, you’ll “never work a day in your life.”
I don’t believe this to be true, at least not for the masses.
It seems like there are varying degrees to which you will like your job, and the hope is that you don’t dread going to work everyday and that work isn’t causing you significant distress.
However, experiencing the Sunday Scaries, again to various degrees, is common.
The way you think about it (normalize it with healthy self-talk) and treat it (see the next paragraph) will help make a difference.
Beef Up Your Sunday Night Routine
If your Sunday Scaries are negatively impacting your life, consider beefing up your Sunday night routine in one or more of these ways:
Sunday Afternoon/Evening
Do an activity you enjoy
Do some physical movement
Spend time outside
Before Going to Sleep
Use a healthy sleep routine, including relaxation techniques
Don’t watch TV or use devices within an hour before going to sleep
Practice mindfulness, meditation, or deep breathing
Read, write, or listen to relaxing music
Go to sleep early (or at least at your typical bedtime, not later)
Final Notes
Work can cause anxiety for a number of reasons, and it’s important to take steps to manage this anxiety so that it has less impact on you at work and less impact on your life outside of work, too.
Although it may feel like you need to keep working non-stop in order to get your tasks done, remember that you will be more productive when you do take breaks and that your work will still be there the next day/shift.
To help manage work anxiety, try taking your lunch break (without working while you eat!), slowing down, and managing the Sunday Scaries by normalizing the experience and strengthening your Sunday night routine.