kid a
07-01-10, 14:32
I am proud to work for AnxietyUK and contribute to their magazine, The Anxious Times. My column is not available online and so I have decided to publish it here. So that's what I'm doing now. How exciting.
This article is from Issue 71: Autumn 2009.
Sometimes I wonder what kind of person I would be if I didn’t have anxiety. I haven’t always been a writer; I spent five years in and out of office jobs in my twenties. Some jobs were fun, but I found it difficult to operate within such a structured environment.
People react in their own individual ways to pressure; some crave the release of endorphins that come with fear, whilst others find the rollercoaster terrifying. Many people find routine stressful. I panic at the quiet times. When there are no targets to meet, I start feeling anxious - am I progressing? It can be hard to simply be. When things do start to happen and the deadlines start to mount up, my ‘bad’ anxiety is dispersed, and replaced with a more proactive, positive form.
This brings us to the question - is anxiety just a part of work? Well, yes - to an extent. Before we achieve anything, there is often a period where hard work can provoke stress. The reason for getting out of bed should not be fear. A fear of failure can act as an incentive to push yourself further but this can be dangerous territory if the fear begins to control you. It is possible to achieve a healthy balance - spurred on by the prospect of success. If we accept the negative side of our thoughts as a challenge, and the road ahead as a goal, it is possible to work with our anxieties in order to move forward.
So, you are at work. You are suffering. Is this normal? Many people may retain this thought as their own, and not think to share it. But everyone has a fear of the unknown; even the most confident people. Work is one of the leading sources of stress and anxiety; the constraints of time, the fear of demotion or dismissal, and the need to adhere to policy and regulation can all add to the problem. There may be a conflict of interest between what the system in place dictates, and what a worker deems as being right.
The first step in combating these issues is an acceptance. It is human nature to procrastinate, and the easiest thing to do is nothing. When I was at my lowest ebb, the thought of coming to terms with the issues I was facing, and accepting that there was a problem - was daunting. I was able to convince myself that I was okay for a while, but the stiff upper lip approach is sometimes misplaced.
Acceptance can mean change, and change can be overwhelming. Yet you are half way there if you are able to look objectively at the place in which you find yourself. Talking to someone is always a good idea. It needn’t be someone directly involved in your situation at work if this feels uncomfortable, but it is important to release some of your thoughts to be able to move forward. Although many companies adopt a caring approach, it is natural to fear a lack of understanding.
It can be difficult to approach managers with these issues - and you may fear that your peers would react inappropriately, dismissing your problems. I have found that these fears, although perfectly valid, are often unfounded. Calmly talking through issues with a trusted colleague or friend will start the ball rolling, and things are put into perspective.
Facing anxiety can easily feel as if things are spiraling out of control. I always felt like I was fighting the anxiety, the way it was perceived, and even the culture of nine to five itself. I felt like an outsider, and that the procedures, administration and office politics were more powerful than myself. But although the anxiety may appear overwhelming, the solutions do not have to be dramatic. It is in everyone’s interests to ensure that problems are dealt with to operate more effectively.
Can you work from home? Can you have more flexible hours? How understanding are your bosses of the need for doctor’s appointments and days off? Is it time to look for other opportunities? Whilst stress does exist, it must not be allowed to control you. Writing down your strengths and weaknesses and focusing on your own goals - and how you can achieve these can help alleviate the anxiety. Family and friends may not have a definable solution, but letting things out can really help. Away from the fear, their words can often bring solace, and perspective, and hey -things will start to brighten.
More information on The Anxious Times and AnxietyUk can be found here:
http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/magazine.php (http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/magazine.php)
My latest article for CALM is here:
http://www.thecalmzone.net/tune_in/articles/default.aspx?id=213 (http://www.thecalmzone.net/tune_in/articles/default.aspx?id=213)
This article is from Issue 71: Autumn 2009.
Sometimes I wonder what kind of person I would be if I didn’t have anxiety. I haven’t always been a writer; I spent five years in and out of office jobs in my twenties. Some jobs were fun, but I found it difficult to operate within such a structured environment.
People react in their own individual ways to pressure; some crave the release of endorphins that come with fear, whilst others find the rollercoaster terrifying. Many people find routine stressful. I panic at the quiet times. When there are no targets to meet, I start feeling anxious - am I progressing? It can be hard to simply be. When things do start to happen and the deadlines start to mount up, my ‘bad’ anxiety is dispersed, and replaced with a more proactive, positive form.
This brings us to the question - is anxiety just a part of work? Well, yes - to an extent. Before we achieve anything, there is often a period where hard work can provoke stress. The reason for getting out of bed should not be fear. A fear of failure can act as an incentive to push yourself further but this can be dangerous territory if the fear begins to control you. It is possible to achieve a healthy balance - spurred on by the prospect of success. If we accept the negative side of our thoughts as a challenge, and the road ahead as a goal, it is possible to work with our anxieties in order to move forward.
So, you are at work. You are suffering. Is this normal? Many people may retain this thought as their own, and not think to share it. But everyone has a fear of the unknown; even the most confident people. Work is one of the leading sources of stress and anxiety; the constraints of time, the fear of demotion or dismissal, and the need to adhere to policy and regulation can all add to the problem. There may be a conflict of interest between what the system in place dictates, and what a worker deems as being right.
The first step in combating these issues is an acceptance. It is human nature to procrastinate, and the easiest thing to do is nothing. When I was at my lowest ebb, the thought of coming to terms with the issues I was facing, and accepting that there was a problem - was daunting. I was able to convince myself that I was okay for a while, but the stiff upper lip approach is sometimes misplaced.
Acceptance can mean change, and change can be overwhelming. Yet you are half way there if you are able to look objectively at the place in which you find yourself. Talking to someone is always a good idea. It needn’t be someone directly involved in your situation at work if this feels uncomfortable, but it is important to release some of your thoughts to be able to move forward. Although many companies adopt a caring approach, it is natural to fear a lack of understanding.
It can be difficult to approach managers with these issues - and you may fear that your peers would react inappropriately, dismissing your problems. I have found that these fears, although perfectly valid, are often unfounded. Calmly talking through issues with a trusted colleague or friend will start the ball rolling, and things are put into perspective.
Facing anxiety can easily feel as if things are spiraling out of control. I always felt like I was fighting the anxiety, the way it was perceived, and even the culture of nine to five itself. I felt like an outsider, and that the procedures, administration and office politics were more powerful than myself. But although the anxiety may appear overwhelming, the solutions do not have to be dramatic. It is in everyone’s interests to ensure that problems are dealt with to operate more effectively.
Can you work from home? Can you have more flexible hours? How understanding are your bosses of the need for doctor’s appointments and days off? Is it time to look for other opportunities? Whilst stress does exist, it must not be allowed to control you. Writing down your strengths and weaknesses and focusing on your own goals - and how you can achieve these can help alleviate the anxiety. Family and friends may not have a definable solution, but letting things out can really help. Away from the fear, their words can often bring solace, and perspective, and hey -things will start to brighten.
More information on The Anxious Times and AnxietyUk can be found here:
http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/magazine.php (http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/magazine.php)
My latest article for CALM is here:
http://www.thecalmzone.net/tune_in/articles/default.aspx?id=213 (http://www.thecalmzone.net/tune_in/articles/default.aspx?id=213)