Stressed and Depressed: 4 Ways to Reduce Anxiety at Work

 Anxiety at work is a real problem. It not only flows through your work life but into your personal life. For example, what is the first thing that you do when you wake up in the morning? Perhaps, instead of enjoying the birdsong outside your window, your first instinct is to check your phone for messages or work-related emails. You then compose a reply to that email before you get out of bed. You may worry about what the day holds for you, which distracts you from enjoying your coffee or your family.

You are still not wide awake. Everything is blurry from sleep, but you know you have to get up. You need to get up and push yourself to prepare for work. After all, that’s what you do every single day. But how do you reduce stress and anxiety at work so you can enjoy the rest of your life?

Is Workplace Anxiety Real?

To say that communication is overwhelming in this day and age is an understatement. Technology has provided us with a lot of means to express ourselves and communicate. It has even allowed us to reach out to people from around the world at a moment’s notice.

However, this constant connectivity has led to a lot of people working extra long hours in order to communicate with their colleagues. Even during your personal time, you might have a coworker or manager trying to reach you through various social media platforms. Technology has created the idea that people can do business anytime, anywhere. 

How does this affect people mentally? Has it given birth to workplace anxiety? When your work seems to be with you wherever you go, even while you are in bed, then there is no doubt that you could be suffering from workplace anxiety. When it seems there is no place you can run to where there is no work, then you have a problem that needs a solution. 

“Stress” has become a household term, yet a lot of people do not understand what it truly means. Although it is normal for people to be under stress from time to time, too much exposure to stress could lead people to develop an anxiety disorder. 

Medical professions recommend several different types of stress management activities to help people to deal with their stress, including meditation, exercise, and eating healthy. When people don’t get the chance to release tension or relax, they are more likely to end up with anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are characterized by consistently worrying about unrealistic or worst-case scenarios. People with anxiety disorders often develop various types of phobias and may end up dealing with full-blown panic attacks. 

Stress should never be taken lightly because it can either make or break you. So when you have the opportunity to deal with it, you should. But where do you begin?

How to Reduce Anxiety in the Workplace

If your work is causing you anxiety, how do you help yourself manage this stress? What strategies for managing stress in the workplace could work for you? Here are a few ideas, including a few homeopathic remedies for anxiety, to get you started:

Take a step back from your computer

For most people, workdays consist of sitting for eight hours in front of the computer. Not only does this cause eye strain, but this lack of bodily movement can cause sleeplessness and other body pains. If you are used to this kind of work environment, then pause for a few minutes every hour and get up. Turn your back on your computer and walk around for five minutes or so. The movement will help keep your blood and the energy flowing. This simple form of physical exercise can help lighten the load of the thoughts in your head. Burn calories while you let go of anxiety. A simple walk around the building or the office can prevent a spiral into depression.

Stretch and be gentle with yourself

While attending a stress management workshop could do wonders for you, it may take your time away from work. So if that isn’t an option, go ahead and stretch those arms and legs. You still have meetings to attend and deadlines to meet, and that’s just fine. Find some time during your lunch break or when you go to get some water. If you let everything get into your head without any release, it could cause you a lot of unnecessary misery. So instead, be gentle to yourself. Stretch your arms from time and time and try working again. Let your neck move and slowly release the tension that may be causing your persistent back pain. 

Stand up and talk with the people around you

Though you can speak to your work team by using a messaging app or through email, face to face interaction helps a lot in relieving stress. When you interact with the people around you, you have the opportunity to connect with another human being. Sometimes, people who are living with anxiety disorder don’t like talking to people, but communication plays a massive role in keeping your anxiety in control. When you get to speak your mind or converse about topics you’re interested in, it lightens up the mental load. At that point, you think less and talk more. When you’re able to get outside of your head, and inside of your body, you’re ready to enjoy the rest of your day, even after you get home from work.

Keep yourself hydrated by always having your water container with you

This might sound too simple to be a solution to workplace anxiety, but water performs magic in the human body. Drinking a glass of water relaxes the body and helps flush out toxins. Staying hydrated won’t automatically heal your anxiety, but it will help keep the body healthy. Drinking water makes it easier for your body to handle the tasks at hand, so drink a nice cold, tall glass of water. You’ll be glad you did.

Anxiety does not have to define you. It is just a part of you. You are going to be okay even when it feels like the worst is about to happen. Keep fighting because there is hope for you and your future.