7 Strategies to Overcome Stress and Anxiety in the Dubai Workplace
Everyone feels stressed at work from time to time. Pressure, anxiety, and uncooperative co-workers can make the daily routine feel unbearable. Every job can become stressful, so what can you do when yours begins to feel like an impossible challenge?
While a bit of stress can be productive, too much of it can ruin your mood. Today, more and more people are suffering from work-related stress. Here is how to deal with anxiety at work and stay productive by beating the blues.
1. Be Proactive
Stress manifests when we feel threatened and powerless. It is actually a physical process, with stress hormones and measurable bodily responses. Our heart rate goes up and our focus takes a dip.
In order to minimize stress, you have to be proactive with what causes it. Instead of trying to cope with stress after you feel the anxiety knocking on your door, identify what causes you stress at work and deal with it.
No problem is without a solution, but in order to deal with anxiety it is best to stop it before it even manifests. By taking control of your stressors, you will be able to manage your anxiety better.
2. Avoid Interruptions
Today, the typical workplace is filled with interruptions. From emails and instant messages to impossible deadlines and digital distractions, there are thousands of ways to lose your focus.
A bit of distraction during work may be uplifting, but constant distractions will ruin your mood and reinforce workplace anxiety. The best way to deal with this is to identify and eliminate as many daily interruptions as possible. Most workplace interruptions are completely avoidable and you can plan to anticipate them and prevent them from causing anxiety.
Also, you can work with your colleagues to help each other focus and avoid interrupting each other.
3. Identify and Deal with Your Daily Frustrations
People can often manage big problems easier than small ones. Most work-related stress comes from small, annoying stressors. These stressors often fly under the radar and can annoy or bother you without you realizing it.
In order to track those daily frustrations, write down what might have annoyed you during the day. Just a sentence or two will do the trick. Note down your feelings accordingly and what specifically made you feel annoyed or stressed at work. Also, write down your responses. Did you leave the scene to distance yourself from your stressor? Did you lash out in anger?
By identifying your stressors, you can see them for what they are and be able to deal with them.
4. Take Care of Yourself
Going to work after an all-nighter is a sure way to be cranky. Insufficient sleep will ruin your concentration, make you twitchy, and ultimately cause you anxiety. The same holds true for eating.
If you go to work on an empty stomach or snack your way through the working day, you might find yourself being more irritable than usual. Eating healthy and getting enough sleep is your key to workplace wellness.
You will need at least 7 hours of sleep each night and enough veggies and protein to keep your body fuelled throughout the day. Coffee is a great way to kick off your day, but you should not rely on caffeine to keep you going without enough sleep.
5. Responding Instead of Coping
Sometimes we just want to run away from what causes us stress and anxiety. You may be tempted to counter anxiety by binge eating or self-medicating, but these are not healthy solutions. Instead of indulging yourself to forget your anxiety, it is best to learn how to have healthy responses.
Working out is a great way to cope with anxiety. Obviously, you can’t whip out your dumbbells at work, but you can make sure to work out a bit in the evenings so you can go to work fit and cheerful. Working out includes any type of physical activity such as yoga or your preferred sport.
Another way to respond to daily stressors is to make sure to have enough time each evening for your favourite hobbies. No matter how hectic your working day may be, you should always save at least a small amount of time for your favourite pastimes.
6. Speak Up
Sometimes keeping your anxiety bottled up makes it seem worse than it is. To deal with workplace stress, you should speak to your co-workers and your supervisor about it. Tell them what is bothering you and ask them for support or if they can adjust their behaviour to make your workplace stress more manageable.
Don’t be embarrassed about your anxiety. Chances are your colleagues are also suffering from some form of workplace stress. Speaking up will allow your co-workers to adjust their routines and find a better balance for everyone.
7. Realize You're Not Alone
Finally, you should accept that you don’t have to deal with your anxiety by yourself. If you feel overwhelmed, there is no shame in seeking support from friends, loved ones, or professionals.
There are thousands of anxiety management support groups and many trustworthy psychology counselling experts. If you suffer from chronic anxiety at work, seek out a professional psychologist to help you with your problem.
Now That You Know How to Deal With Anxiety at Work, It's Time to Thrive
Here at Thrive, our team of experts provides individual therapy for anxiety and other related conditions to help you deal with your anxiety at work or in other areas of your life. We use the latest techniques to help our patients regain their energy, reduce their stress, and enjoy optimal mental health. As psychology counselling specialists, it is our goal to help you realize your full potential and truly thrive. Contact Thrive however you feel most comfortable - Whatsapp message us, or feel free to call us on +971 56 895 2347. You can also email or simply send us a query via our online form.
