With the economy in upheaval, there are more pressures on the average North American worker than in previous years. If you have survived a layoff, there is likely more work to do and fewer people to do it; higher performance standards as management tries to impress remaining clients; more layoffs possible, and fear that you may not find something else right away.
These pressures can lead to job anxiety, but not all of it is confined to the workplace. Often, the butterflies start before you even get ready to face another day of work.
If you’re feeling work anxiety, especially before you’re even on the job, you’re not alone. According to an article by Carol Goar at Healthzone.ca, workplace anxiety tends to strike the top performers.
“The ideal employee is hard-working, well-organized, conscientious and willing to take responsibility,“ writes Goar. “Unfortunately, those are the very characteristics that put a put a person at risk of developing a debilitating anxiety disorder, especially when stock markets are roiling, pension savings are melting and corporations are downsizing.”
Pre-work anxiety strikes people in nearly every industry. One IT Customer Service representative writes in his blog that he experiences upset stomach before he even heads out the door. A nurse at a hospital in Texas also blogs that she dreads coming into work for fear of being yelled at by doctors.
Sufferers often feel torn: on the one hand, you’re afraid of facing another day of overwhelming stress at the job; on the other hand, you also feel guilty for having those feelings at a time when jobs are becoming scarce. As Goar states, if you’re an A player who always strives for high performance, the stress is even greater.
Ways to Cope
There are a few solutions to help you cope with pre-work anxiety:
- Create a mental punch clock. Top performers tend to be excellent planners, so it’s only natural that you start thinking about your work day before it starts. Instead, start every day by focusing on the present – making breakfast, reading a book –and not on what lies ahead at the office.
- Send out a resume once a week, even if you don’t need to. Many people feel “stuck” where they are, especially in a recession. The best way to alleviate that is to keep a low-level job hunt going. Even in a recession, there are still companies in your field that are hiring. Update your resume and send it out. Then, when your pre-work anxiety hits, remind yourself that you’re still looking. The simple knowledge that you’re in the market is enough to eliminate that “trapped” feeling.
- Use your benefits. If your company pays for therapeutic massage, take one. If they cover counseling services like Warren Shepell, give them a call. Make the job work for you: it’s what those benefits packages are there for, and they’ll remind you about the good things about your job.
- Finally, reach out to your co-workers. You may be surprised to find out how many of them are either going through same thing, or have found solutions that may also work for you. Try not to overindulge in venting, however, as it feeds the anxiety. Steer the conversation towards solutions if you can: sometimes the best way to feel better is to help someone else.
