5 Ways to Reduce Anxiety at Work

Written by Graham Gallivan

We have all experienced how relentless work can be. Deadlines begin to pile up. Teams notifications don’t stop pinging. Meetings get scheduled back-to-back. All the while, your to-do list keeps growing.

Somewhere between events, your nervous system starts to send distress signals. This would explain why you may feel edgy or distracted by the end of the day. You’re not alone in this sentiment. Workplace anxiety is one of the most common issues high-achievers face.

It’s a human response to the many stressors you’re juggling. The good news is that there are practical tactics you can implement to help dial it back.

Name What You’re Actually Feeling

When anxiety hits, rather than filing items away appropriately, your brain starts to group everything into one big bubble. A simple yet effective way to check your anxiety is to slow down and acknowledge what you’re actually feeling.

Be specific. Are you feeling overwhelmed? Unappreciated? Afraid of failing? Embarrassed?

Labeling emotions for what they are can reduce their intensity. You’re giving your mind something concrete to focus on rather than letting your anxiety run wild.

Build Micro-Recovery Moments into Your Day

Somewhere along the line, we collectively started treating rest as optional. If we are taking rest periods, it’s after the workday has ended. But the nervous system needs to recover throughout the day. Even small breaks can interrupt the anxiety cycle long enough to reset your baseline.

Tips for implementing micro-recovery moments into your day:

• Take a five-minute walk outside for some fresh air between meetings

• Eat lunch away from your desk, even if it’s only a couple of times per week

• Take three slow, deliberate breaths before joining a call

These little habits shouldn’t be viewed as a luxury use of time, but rather as necessary strategies.

Audit Your Relationship with Your Phone

Constant connectivity has some benefits, but it’s also one of the main drivers of workplace anxiety. If you’re always reachable and checking your phone, your brain never has the chance to shut down from work mode. The always-on mindset leads to compounded stress.

Boundaries are important around phone use. Set designated times for checking work-related emails and text messages. Don’t make real-time, round-the-clock responses normal behavior. Having this separation will help reduce baseline anxiety so you don’t have to go fully off the grid to recover.

Try Intentional Overthinking

As counterintuitive as it may sound, schedule a worry window for yourself. Pick a small block during your workday where you focus on whatever is causing you anxiety. If you start to feel anxious thoughts creep in outside that time, table them until your window arrives. During this window, acknowledge your anxiety and then let it go.

This technique gives you a clear structure for addressing anxiety. Rather than dealing with intrusive thoughts that run the show all day long, you are giving yourself control over when and how your anxiety shows up.

Get Honest About Your Ability to Control

A good amount of workplace anxiety comes from matters out of your direct control. Your boss being in a bad mood can be stressful, but it’s not your issue. A client opting to go in a different direction is upsetting, but not something you can influence.

When you feel anxiety spiking, ask yourself:

• Is this something I can influence?

• What is one concrete action I can take right now?

• How can I direct this energy toward something that matters?

When Workplace Anxiety is Too Much to Manage

These strategies can make a real difference in your ability manage your anxiety, but sometimes this workplace anxiety is an indication that something deeper needs attention. If you’ve been grinding through stress for a while, exploring professional options is worth considering.

Counseling for anxiety can help you understand what’s driving the tension on a deeper level and develop the tools needed for your specific pressures. Reach out to schedule a consultation, and let’s figure out a path forward.