The second wave has hit us hard. And as you returned to remote work from your PG in Jayanagar and saw your life once again taken over by rising case numbers and endless Zoom calls, your anxiety went through the roof. And you’re not alone. The past year has taken a huge toll on our mental health as a society, and struggling with stress, anxiety and depression has become more widespread than ever before. And while your constant worries and debilitating angst is hurting your mental state, it could also be making its mark on your work performance.
Because being in a state of anxiety most of the time can impact several aspects of your work life – including productivity and career growth opportunities. And if you think your anxiety is getting in the way of your day-to-day life, you should definitely reach out to a mental health professional. But if you’re looking for some ways to calm yourself down and get back on track with your work, we’ve got some coping strategies that could help you keep your anxiety in check. Some of these can easily be practiced from the peace and quiet of your paying guest accommodation so do put these in action:
Exercise
One of the ways that anxiety affects us is by making us feel off balance. When you’re overwhelmed by your worry, you could become snappish, irritable or withdraw completely from others. This can definitely be tough to deal with at work, since you’ll be required to interact and work with your colleagues who may find you uncooperative. To check the effects that anxiety can have on your mood, you could turn to exercise. Engaging in a physical activity for up to half an hour can release endorphins that enhance your mood and help you feel calmer and happier. A quick workout in between your WFH meetings can help you keep your emotions in check and keep that anxiety at bay.
Use mindfulness techniques
Sometimes anxiety shows up as a negative spiral of thoughts that distracts you from your work and makes you lose focus. And that’s not great at any time of the day, but it can be especially difficult when you’re working on a deadline or about to make an important presentation. At times like these you could rely on some mindfulness techniques to train your brain to get back to the task at hand. Simple techniques like focusing on your breathing, using the 5-4-3-2-1 method or performing a quick body scan can be immensely helpful in helping you reduce your anxiety levels.
Get a head start
Sometimes it’s the work itself that is the source of your anxiety and you cope with it by disengaging or doubting yourself. But doing that simply means you’re avoiding or delaying the source of your stress. And since it’s a work obligation, you’ll have to deal with it eventually. If you end up leaving your work till the last minute in order to avoid the anxiety that it causes you, you’ll inadvertently end up increasing your anxiety by putting more pressure on yourself as you near the deadline. Instead, identify that the source of your anxiety is probably because the task you have to do is important to you. Instead of getting overwhelmed by it, channel your nerves into a productive outlet and get a headstart on the work. You’ll be able to work at a much more comfortable speed, and once you get started, your anxiety might even fade away.
Reach out to others
Finally, anxiety can make you feel like you’re alone when it comes to dealing with your problems. You could be isolating yourself from your colleagues, avoiding networking events or even turning down opportunities to work with others. This could be causing your career to stagnate, especially since it’s easy to slip out of your higher-ups’ notice when you’re working from home. That’s why you should make it an effort to reach out to others. Your colleagues will most likely be willing to help you out, and you can always approach a senior for advice too. And if you’re living in a new age residence like Stanza Living which caters especially to young professionals, you’ll have a large network of people to rely on for support without even stepping out of the door. What’s more, you can utilize even the physical spaces (like entertainment lounges, gyms, terraces) as well as the community bonding activities that Stanza Living offers, to create a healthy environment for yourself. So, don’t let your anxiety make you isolate yourself, remember it’s always okay to reach out for help.
Taking care of your mental health and giving yourself a fighting chance is a continuous effort. But it’s important to remember that you’re worthy of it, and to prioritise yourself in the way you deserve. You are not your anxiety. So, try out our coping solutions and don’t let anything stop you from performing your best at work.
