What is Anxiety?
You’ve probably felt it before — a sense of anxiety, like something bad, is about to happen. Anxiety is our body’s response to a situation that we perceive as dangerous. It’s a protective mechanism, which is why we feel those uncomfortable feelings in the first place. Anxiety is our body’s way of telling us to pay attention — to a situation, a person, a place, or a thing that might be harmful or dangerous. Anxiety can make us feel tired, dizzy, nervous, tense, or shaky. We can get stomach aches, headaches, or heart palpitations. Our hearts beat faster and we can feel our blood pressure rise. We get the feeling that our hearts are in our throats.
If you have a sense of anxiety, you may feel that you are at risk from something in your life, or that things are not going as planned, or that you are not living up to your potential, or that you don’t know how you’re going to deal with a particular situation. Whatever you’re feeling and however long you’ve been feeling it, chances are that your anxiety is a completely normal part of being human. Anxiety is something that all of us experience in one way or another.
Symptoms of Anxiety:-
Some people are anxious about their health, their relationships, their finances, and their future. Others are anxious because they struggle with addiction, or unhealthy relationships, or financial difficulties, or a sense of direction in life.
Most people will experience anxiety from time to time. It’s something we all have to deal with. But when anxiety gets out of control, it can affect the way you think and feel. It can make you worry about things that don’t need to be worried about.
- The symptoms of anxiety include:-
- Feeling restless and on edge all the time
- Fast heartbeat and heavy breathing
- Being fearful
- Worrying about the future
- Feeling worried about making mistakes
- Always worried about others
- Being easily frightened
- Feel like you cannot think clearly and can’t relax.
- Not able to remember things.
Some people talk about feeling “out of control”, “like a prisoner”, or “as if under the influence of some force”. It may feel like your brain can’t take in information, that you can’t remember things and can’t even remember what or who you are. It can also make it hard to stay silent when you’re supposed to be quiet, and it can make it hard to stay calm when you’re supposed to be relaxed.
If you have the above-mentioned symptoms and still have not spoken to a professional in this field, then you must do it as soon as possible as it can keep getting worse.
What are the impacts of Anxiety?
Anxiety can have a huge impact on your life, and can even prevent you from doing the things you want to do. It can make it hard to stay focused, and can even make it difficult to function normally. But anxiety isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a disorder that needs to be addressed. Many people think of it as normal stress or having stress, feeling low and doubting yourself each second of the day is not something normal. In a nutshell, people who experience anxiety sometimes have trouble working because their minds are focused on what they’re worrying about, rather than what they should be worrying about.
Job( Work Place) and Anxiety:-
Research indicates that stress, anxiety, and depression can make it harder to concentrate, remember, and focus at work. These conditions can also make it difficult to deal with the daily tasks that make up most jobs. And that can negatively impact your job satisfaction and your overall job performance. Anxiety is a common condition that can have a huge impact on your life. It can make you feel tense and stressed, and can even prevent you from doing things that you enjoy. But anxiety isn’t just bad for you: it can also impact your work life.
Anxiety is more common than depression, but many people don’t talk about it. At work, it can manifest as irritability, forgetfulness, or an inability to concentrate. Most people cope by faking it, by using alcohol or other drugs, or by avoiding the situation altogether. But untreated anxiety can have long-term effects, especially if it’s left untreated for long periods.
What are the main reasons behind workplace anxiety?
Lots of factors can contribute to anxiety at your job or your workplace. There is a link between anxiety and workplace burnout. Workplace anxiety can have a profound effect on the quality of your work and the quality of your life. It can affect the quality of your performance on the job, as well as the quality of your relationships and well-being at home. Workplace anxiety also has a direct impact on your ability to effectively lead and influence others.
The main cause of having anxiety depends on the person only. Working late, not having enough sleep, un-supportive managers and teammates at work, some work-related traumas, etc. can lead to workplace anxiety.
- Situations at a job that may make you feel anxious:-
- At the time of presentations
- Speaking up or giving your thoughts
- Dealing with work-related issues
- Having official get-togethers, meetings, or parties
- Accomplishing goals at a time.
For many people, their job is their source of income and their way of providing for themselves and their families. When you have anxiety, it can be hard to concentrate; stay focused, and carries out the tasks that are required of you at work. This can lead to anxiety-related symptoms, such as tardiness, missed deadlines, and errors in work. This can ultimately lead to a loss of income and a decrease in job performance, making it even harder to overcome anxiety.
Can you get a job if you are having anxiety issues?
The answer is an absolute yes!
Anxiety is a natural response to some situations, but it can take up a huge amount of time. It can cause us to feel like we can’t do anything right or we need to be everything to everyone. It can feel like we’re trapped in our heads. We can feel overwhelmed and unable to think clearly. But that does not mean that people with anxiety issues cannot get a job.
Some Ways to manage anxiety issues at your job :-
There are lots of things you can do to manage your anxiety at work.
And the most important is to figure out what exactly is the reason behind your anxiety and how you can fix it! Anxiety and depression can be debilitating, but they don’t have to hold you back. A diagnosis doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a life of hardship. The right treatment can help you manage your symptoms and even live a more fulfilling life.
- Here are a few things you can do to manage your anxiety at the workplace:-
- The balance between work and life is crucial:- You need to have a proper balance between your personal and professional lives. Most of the time, the root cause of anxiety is that the balance is missing. Due to the fast and competitive nature of today’s world, everyone is focused on trying to make them stand out without bothering about their physical and mental well-being.
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle:- Get a good amount of sleep, eat healthy food, have a proper schedule for the whole day, do regular exercises, avoid drinking too much coffee as too much caffeine can result in having stress and anxiety.
- Be organized: – Being in neat and clean surroundings makes you feel good and optimistic. Everything, whether it’s the clothes you are wearing or the desk you work at, everything should be clean and organized.
- Practice positive talk sessions in front of the mirror:- Do not give irrational or negative thoughts much attention.
- Educate yourself:- Learn about the symptoms of your anxiety and try to figure out the reason behind it. Find ways to tackle them and practice them daily.
- Do not hesitate to ask for help:- If you have anxiety issues, there is nothing to feel embarrassed about it. You can always talk to your friends, family or take help from professionals and have therapy sessions. If you are dealing with complex anxiety problems, it is better to seek professional guidance.
Tips on how to manage your anxiety at interviews-
Even if you do not have an anxiety problem, interviews can still make you nervous. But having anxiety issues can make it worse, so here are a few tips to manage it during your job interview:-
- Practice time and again in front of your mirror.
- Do not put much attention to negative thoughts.
- Imagine yourself in front of the employer being as cool, calm, and composed as possible.
- Give it your best and do not hesitate to speak your mind.
- Try to relax and have a good sleep night before the interview.
- Once it ends, try something that makes you happy either treating yourself to a good meal, playing video games, watching your favourite movie, or spending some good time with your friends or family. This would make you realize that you did your best and hence this celebration is worth it!
What to consider while selecting a job if you have anxiety issues?
While considering where to work at or while determining where you should submit your job application to, just keep some things in mind:-
- What are my strengths and weaknesses?
- Are my mind and body capable of doing this much?
- Would I be requiring flexible work hours?
- Is this the job I want to do?
Considering all these points would help you find a suitable job for you that you help you manage your anxiety issues.
Job requirements for a person with anxiety issues:-
- Jobs having flexible work hours:- Some jobs allow you to work from home or allow you to leave the office early in case you are done with the job for the day or have achieved the target set for the day and hence can leave early. This would make you feel less pressured as you just have to meet the goals at the end of the day or month and hence can do it accordingly.
- Jobs that help you keep focused:- Focusing on something would help you keep distracted from your anxiety issues and problems and thus would cease you from worrying. For examples jobs that require a lot of attention like cashier, doctor, accounts manager, technician.
- Jobs done for a greater cause:- Doing something not just for money and success but for greater causes like helping others in their difficult times or doing something in the favour of earth and environment can make a change in the way you think and feel. It makes you feel good and you start feeling confident in yourself. For example:- Environmentalist, health worker, civil servant, working for non-profitable organizations, counselling, charity work, etc.
Or doing something related to your passion can be as helpful. Just the thought of making your dream life come true can help you give the grounding and assurance that you need.
Conclusion:-
Anxiety can make it difficult to perform your job duties and can also be physically draining. However, anxiety is not a disease or a diagnosis. Rather, anxiety is a feeling that is caused by a variety of factors, most of which are out of your control. It can be treated with several pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments.
Anxiety can make it hard to concentrate, remember instructions, and focus on tasks. It can also make it difficult to get through the day without becoming overwhelmed. And with treatment, you can find a job that fits your schedule and helps you feel better while you’re working. People with anxiety can find it hard to relax without the use of medication, and any treatment must be used with caution and utmost sincerely.
