5 Self-Care Tips to Prevent Anxiety in the Workplace

Hundreds of emails flood my inbox unapologetically. The phone won’t stop ringing and there is influx of projects being assigned by upper management; meanwhile, I finally realize I’m running twenty minutes late for a meeting on a Monday morning. The only emotion my mind can conjure up in that moment? Anxiety — dreadful and quite faithful in presence.

In the worst possible ways, stress can inevitably interrupt our weekly cycle. However, the minute we become self-aware of stress’ side effects, it’s important to know how to counteract them. From exercising and meditation to establishing strong communication with coworkers, these tips can help to avoid stress build up and unpleasant lash-outs at work.

1. Practice meditation to give your mind a mental break.

Daily, our mind receives numerous noisy and visual messages that can easily clutter our mental focus. Give yourself a few minutes to deep breathe, relax and say a simple thank you for the start of a new day. Whether through prayer, reading or sitting in silence, the mind is able to recharge itself and release any negative thoughts that may inhibit your workflow.

Creativity is birthed out of a place of freedom; and allowing your mind to be free of clutter will generate fresh, innovative ideas.

2. Use art as a calming ritual.

With the right music or the right visuals, one can instill a sense of peace within the cubicle or desk space. Download music applications, such as Pandora or Spotify, to create playlist compilations of your favorite artists. This sense of familiarity instantly allows the mind to gain the motivation to carry on a successful workday.

As analytical tasks or tedious projects can be quite mundane, surrounding yourself with art will bring an extra boost of energy that turns stress into productive determination.

3. Communicate your anxiety to your coworkers.

Open communication vitally tethers a hard-working team together. If you are feeling the weight of multiple projects, make known your concerns and ask for help. In humbling ourselves, we are able to create a strong community, where we can lift each other’s weaknesses up. A team that is willing to value people will take the time to value personal struggles, too.

When you keep frustrations to yourself, it affects demeanor and could potentially give off the wrong message to colleagues. As you make known your anxiety in a professional way, you are allowing for mutual understanding, which can help avoid damaging fall-outs.

Creativity is birthed out of a place of freedom …

4. Take time to exercise daily.

Calisthenics and cardio equip people to release endorphins that lead to a happier self. Pick a time and commit to working out for at least 15 to 30 minutes a day. Exercise enhances the quality of life and will produce tangible results for the body. Instead of allowing anxiety and stress to build up inside, make it a point to exercise in order to combat the negative energy.

People at work deserve to see the best version of you. By exercising you are giving yourself the opportunity to take care of yourself first in order to better serve others.

5. Tackle things one step at a time.

Create a calendar that features every project deadline assigned for the next few months. Pace your work intentionally to accomplish a variety of tasks during your personal peak times.

One of the easiest lies to believe is that we have to do it all, and we have to do it all right now. Because of our limited capacity as human beings, it’s impossible to accomplish fifty projects simultaneously. Be as productive as possible without having to compromise the state of your health. With assurance, take on the tasks in a productive manner that allow for you to create a balanced working schedule.

Is anxiety common for you at work? How do you deal with it?

Images by Kathryna Hancock for Darling Issue No. 11