According to the American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America survey, work is consistently cited as a major source of stress by a majority of Americans. Try as you may, you can’t always avoid the anxiety created by tensions and conflicts that occur on the job.
Common workplace stressors include excessive workloads, duties that aren’t engaging or challenging, unclear performance expectations, conflicting demands, lack of support from management and/or coworkers, few opportunities for advancement, and little, if any, control over job-related decisions.
What’s just as bad is that work-related stress can follow you home, taking a toll on your overall health and wellbeing in the form of chronic anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure, or a weakened immune system. It can even exacerbate pre-existing health conditions, such as depression, obesity, or heart disease, by compelling you to indulge in unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as eating junk food, smoking, or abusing alcohol and drugs.
However, there are steps you can take – working with a licensed therapist – to manage your workplace stress and anxiety.
5 Strategies for Managing Workplace Stress
- Keep tabs on your stressors. One way to help manage stress is to maintain a journal that identifies the situations at work that create the most stress and how you respond to them. In the journal, record not only information about the environment, people, and circumstances involved, but also your thoughts and feelings, and how you react to the situation.
- Develop healthier responses to your anxiety. Rather than fuel your anxiety with fast food, chain smoking, or alcohol, choose healthier alternatives that reduce tension. For example, any form of physical activity – whether exercising or practicing yoga – helps relieve stress. Also, favorite activities, such as reading, attending concerts, or playing games with friends or family, can take your mind off what’s troubling you. In addition, make sure you get enough restful sleep by limiting your intake of caffeine late in the day and minimizing television and computer use at night.
- Explore relaxation techniques. Meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness are all methods that can help alleviate your stress. Get into the routine of taking several minutes each day to focus on simple but relaxing activities such as deep breathing, taking a walk, or savoring a meal. When you master the skill of focusing exclusively on a single activity without being distracted, you will be able to take control of your anxiety.
- Have an open conversation with your supervisor. It is in your employer’s best interest to link your productivity to your well-being. With that in mind, work with your supervisor to create an effective plan for managing the issues you have on the job, so you can perform at your best level. This may involve identifying employer-sponsored wellness resources, clarifying your responsibilities, obtaining support from colleagues, assuming more meaningful or challenging tasks, or simply making reconfiguring your workspace to make it more comfortable and reducing strain.
- Elicit support. On the job, take advantage of any stress management resources your employer offers through an employee assistance program, such as online information, available counseling, and, if needed, referral to a mental health professional. Off the job, look to caring and trusted family members and friends for help managing your stress. If your anxiety persists, seek treatment from a licensed psychologist who’ll help you cope with your stress and change any unhealthy behaviors that may be making it worse.
Treatment for Anxiety in White Plains, New York
At Psyhance, integrative psychiatry is the cornerstone of our approach to treating anxiety. Our highly trained team of professionals can work with you to create and implement a personalized treatment plan. Our simple yet innovative approach applies evidence-based medical knowledge, while using functional medicine, traditional psychiatric care, and modern integrative and holistic care to address all forms of anxiety.
Our integrative psychiatric treatments include:
- A minimum 60-minute initial appointment dedicated to listening with 30-minute follow-ups
- Psychotherapy
- Bio-feedback therapy
- Genetic testing
- Medication management
- Nutrition management
- Health and wellness coaching
- Organic anxiety supplements package
- Fidget toys to help control symptoms
No matter the type of anxiety you are experiencing, our highly skilled and licensed professionals at Psyhance will work with you to provide the individualized quality medical and psychiatric attention you need to help you move past your anxiety and achieve a more fulfilling life.
To get started, you can email us is at s.lahlou@psyhance.com or request an appointment online