What Is Work-Related Anxiety?
Anxiety is a sensation of fear, worry, or nervousness related to anything. As the name suggests, workplace anxiety is related to your work and your surroundings.
Being stressed for a short period of time or occasionally with tight deadlines can make you more productive and drive the force in you to accomplish your goals. But if something (minor or major) at your workplace keeps you excessively worried for a persistent duration, even impacting your personal life, it can adversely affect your mental and physical health.
What Causes Work-Related Anxiety?
Some of the common causes include performance stress and issues with colleagues. Relationship issues, money problems, etc., can produce pressure even outside the workplace. The following factors can lead to anxiety:
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Extended working hours.
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Increased workload.
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Changes in the workplace or modifications within the organization.
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Deadlines related to work.
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Insecurity related to the job.
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Boredom.
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Inadequate skills for the job.
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Changing duties.
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Constant supervision.
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Inadequate resources or equipment.
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Harassing or discriminating workers.
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Fewer chances for promotion.
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Bad relationships with other workers or the boss.
Is There Anxiety Due to Work-From-Home Culture During the Pandemic?
Initially, during the beginning of the COVID pandemic, corporate biggies of digital-based work platforms introduced the remote work culture on a large scale worldwide. Workers were happy indeed to work from the comfort of their homes. There was no need for commutation, dress code, grooming, etc. But soon, improper work-life balance took a great toll on their mental health. The following factors contributed to increased work-related anxiety due to the work-from-home culture,
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No colleagues’ or friends’ physical presence to share their thoughts about their work pressure.
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Work gets extended to their whole day.
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A feeling of working alone.
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Too many distractions at home make it difficult to achieve their targets.
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No balance between work life and family life.
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No strict work timings. This makes them start and end their day with blue light-emitting devices that impact their sleep schedule.
How Can Work-Related Anxiety Be Identified?
The symptoms can vary according to the cause and can include any one of the following:
Physical Symptoms:
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Persistent tiredness and fatigue.
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Difficulty in falling or staying asleep.
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Tension in muscles.
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Gastrointestinal issues like constipation or diarrhea.
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Skin disorders like acne.
Psychological Symptoms:
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Getting irritated easily.
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Low self-esteem and feeling discouraged.
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Negative thoughts.
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Difficulty to cope.
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Decreased concentration.
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Difficulty in making decisions.
Behavioral Symptoms:
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Frequent absenteeism.
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Irritation, anger, aggression.
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Decreased creativity or innovative ideas.
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Interpersonal relationship issues.
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Low patience or tolerance.
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Decreased interest.
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Staying lonely or being isolated.
Why Should Stress Be Prevented at Workplace?
There are many benefits of reduced stress at the workplace, and some of them are as follows:
1. Decreased bad effects on the mental and physical health of workers.
2. Better productivity or outcomes.
3. Reduction in injuries, illness, sick leaves, and wastage of time.
4. Increased job satisfaction.
5. Better well-being of the community and the employee.
How Can Work-Related Anxiety Be Managed?
Since it is related to both management and the individual, steps need to be taken from both the management and the employee’s side to help cope with it.
Self Help Measures to Be Taken by an Individual:
A person suffering from work-related anxiety can practice any one of the following techniques to relax:
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Focus on the changes you want to bring to the office and your work. Decide what has to be done and then take action. A few can be done individually, while others need a team effort. Plan and work accordingly.
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You can approach your human resources manager regarding the issues you are facing.
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Be well-organized. Make priorities and act upon them accordingly. Try to keep the complex and essential tasks for that time when you feel fresh and energetic.
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Have a balanced diet and exercise regularly.
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Practice relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation.
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Have a free time that you can spend for and on yourself.
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Try to avoid showing your stress to your loved ones or others. You can take their help by discussing your issues with them.
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Do not fall into the trap of habits such as smoking and drinking just to avoid stress. These can have only other serious effects on your body and can never cure or manage your anxiety.
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If you are unable to manage, you can always take the help of a psychologist or a psychiatrist.
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If this continues, consider changing your job. You can take the help of a psychologist or career counselor to choose the job that will suit you.
Measures to Be Taken at the Management Level:
It is important that the company or employers take care of their worker’s emotional, physical, and psychological health. They should take steps to avoid unwanted stress being put on the workers. The following can be done for the same:
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The workplace should be safe and well-equipped.
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Train the individuals adequately for their job.
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Take care of working times; deadlines should be given sensibly.
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Do not overburden or over-stress the workers to finish the work within a short span. Give a reasonable deadline and try to cut down overtime.
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Have a human resource manager to whom workers can approach their issues.
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Provide a friendly and accessible environment where workers can communicate freely about the job and issues.
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Be considerate and understand the worker's personal lives or outside work in case of emergency or any personal issues.
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Conduct frequent stress management workshops for employees.
Conclusion:
Try to manage your anxiety by following self-help measures or seeking the help of your management or friends. Else, you can always seek the help of a professional like a psychiatrist, as living with anxiety can cause more harmful effects on your body and mind. Aso, now with the help of online medical platforms, you can consult the doctor at the ease of your home. So, if you feel you have work-related anxiety, go ahead and ask us; we will help you get a detailed management strategy to cope-up with and cure anxiety.
