SATURDAY, Sept. 21, 2024 (Healthday News) -- Workplace anxiety. Who hasn't experienced it?

However, if that anxiety is so strong that it hurts your performance or lingers for months, you might have a problem, one expert says.

Dr. Asim Shah, executive vice chair in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor Colege of Medicine in Houston, explains what can trigger workplace anxiety, how to manage it and when to seek professional help.

“The goal is not to suffer and not let your anxiety affect work performance. About 60% of people experience workplace anxiety. It is common, which means you can do something about it,” Shah said.

Workplace anxiety can be caused by surly co-workers, a demanding supervisor, small, annoying tasks or overwhelming major projects.

If you have workplace anxiety, you might notice signs like:

Feeling overly anxious or nervous
Experiencing excessive sweating or trembling
Obsessing about a task
Having a lack of interest in your work

“The anxiety becomes so overwhelming that you are unable to focus and concentrate,” Shah noted in a Baylor news release. “These feelings can impair your daily work functions.”

If that continues for more than six months, Shah said it might be time to seek professional help.

“Some employers might offer an employee assistance program where you can go for help. You can also start talking to a therapist through psychotherapy or look into medication management for your workplace anxiety,” he said.

To manage it and help to reduce stress, Shah recommends:

Break your tasks into small pieces
Set small goals throughout the work week and congratulate yourself for reaching them
Express your emotions. Journal how you feel. Talk, laugh or cry with someone you confide in
Start healthy habits and do things you enjoy
Work within your limits. Set boundaries with your workload

SOURCE: Baylor College of Medicine, news release, Sept. 16, 2024

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