Anxiety before work

[Ella.]

I get really anxious before I work like even days before I'm due to be working I worry so much...It's weird because it's like my body gets anxious even though my mind knows that there isn't actually anything to worry about and I'm not even anxious about a particular thing! It's just really annoying because I can feel really anxious and down if I know I'm working the next day and normally my shift goes fine and there wasn't anything to worry about but I still become anxious each time I work!

I was just wondering if anyone has good ways of dealing with this or anything that might help get rid of or lessen the anxiety? It's not severe anxiety like I've had before because I can still go to work quite calmly it's just the lead up to it that makes me anxious!

[PSY]

Hey there! I'm sorry you didn't receive a response sooner. Sometimes, I'll feel anxious about all the "what ifs." Like you, I won't have anything specific in mind; however, I'll worry about what COULD happen. When I begin to feel that way, I'll remind myself of all the different ways in which I'm prepared for any potential problem at work. I remind myself that I have sufficient training, and that my co-workers can also assist me if something goes wrong. I remind myself that I've handled difficult situations in the past and can handle future difficult situations. I remind myself that, for the most part, NOTHING BAD happens at work.

Something else I discovered is that I can confuse "anxiety" with "frustration." I know that sounds weird, but think about it. If your body feels tense and your heart is racing, then that could indicate you're feeling anxious OR frustrated. If you're experiencing negative thoughts about work, then that could indicate you're feeling anxious OR frustrated. Eventually, I realized that I experienced all those things because I was frustrated. I didn't want to go to work because I wanted to do something else during that time... something FUN! Once I discovered the physical feelings and thoughts were resulting from frustration, I could address the frustration (by telling myself I'd have fun after work, that going to work would give me money to use on fun activities, etc.). You might want to think about whether these symptoms you're experiencing are really resulting from anxiety, or if another feeling is coming up for you.

[Crazycatlady]

Sometimes, there is something wrong without you even knowing it. If you are feeling tense prior to being at work, it might be a sign that something is wrong. Maybe it isn't work exactly, but you could be dealing with other stressers in your life. Have you talked to a doctor about how you're feeling? It could be an anxiety disorder that you are dealing with. I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, for example, and it is characterized by worrying about absolutely nothing. I wouldn't self-diagnose, but you might want to ask a professional who would know more about this stuff. Hope this helps!