Do you lie awake at night worrying about the following work day? Do you second-guess your every move at work? Do you find yourself constantly thinking of how better it would be if you were doing something else? These are a few of the signs of anxiety at work.
At some point in our careers, we will all face some anxiety at work, as we do in our personal lives. This is because many unpredictable things happen in our personal and professional lives. According to Mortensen (2014), anxiety comes from inside of us when we feel that our sense of self becomes threatened. However it is important to remember that persistent anxiety will affect one’s attitudes, damage relationships, and prevent us from trying our best (Mortensen, 2014). Furthermore, people many times suffer in silence.
But how does anxiety affect us at work?
Although we know that a certain level of anxiety helps us perform better, as it gives us energy, a lot of anxiety can affect an employee’s attitudes, behaviour and performance at work. This is prevalent across any industry and in any level. In fact, being anxious at work, often results into one being dissatisfied at work (Mortensen, 2014). Anxiety may also affect our daily work, such as by making us feel less confident of the skills we possess. This may lead us to become discouraged and possibly give up. Unfortunately, this may also lead one to lose their job.
Relationships at work might also be affected. Anxiety may impact a person’s rapport with colleagues as well as their ability to be a good team. Many times, people who are anxious at work, especially people in managerial positions, will affect their peers and those who report to them.
In the next blog, we will have a look at a few strategies which may help you to manage your work anxiety.
Reference:
Mortensen R. (2014), Anxiety, Work, and Coping, The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 17 (3), 178–181
Ann Julene Hili is a Career Guidance Practitioner with Willingness. She specializes in working with teens and young adults who are in their educational and career transitions. She can be contacted on annjulene@willingness.com.mt or call us on 79291817.