If you suffer from anxiety, it is likely that one of the main causes that originates or accentuates it is found at work. Day to day life can be very stressful, especially for a person who is already anxious. However, letting anxiety build up is counterproductive. When you are at work and you feel that a situation is overwhelming you, you must stop to calm that anxiety because otherwise you will end up exploding or extremely exhausted.
How to calm anxiety at work quickly?
1. Breathe slowly
When we feel anxious, we start to breathe more quickly and in short bursts. This is a normal reaction because our brain perceives that the situation we are going through is potentially dangerous and activates the autonomic system to respond as if we were running a real risk. Therefore, regaining control of your breathing will help you calm anxiety since it is equivalent to telling your brain that it was a false alarm. Little by little everything will return to normal. Take a deep breath, hold it and then exhale slowly. Repeat this exercise for five minutes. Or you can practice diaphragmatic breathing.
2. Repeat a reaffirming mantra
Most of the time, anxiety is not caused by the situations themselves, but by the interpretation we make of them and, above all, by the ruminative thoughts they generate. These types of thoughts amplify the consequences of anxiety and paralyze you, so it is essential that you put a stop to them. You don’t even need to think about what these beliefs are, just choose a personal mantra that brings you peace and tranquility. For example: “it’s just a passing thing, it will pass soon”, “I’ll be fine”, “now I’m going to relax and feel calmer”. Choose the phrase that comforts you the most.
3. Move
Sometimes the best way to calm anxiety is to get away from the situation that is causing it. In this case, you can get up and leave the office. Ideally, you should take a walk for 10 or 15 minutes, preferably in a green area because nature has an enormous relaxing power. Another alternative is to go to a quiet place where you can sit calmly and regain concentration. If you cannot move from your work station, another alternative is to practice muscle relaxation by contracting and relaxing the large muscle groups for 5 minutes. This simple and effective exercise will restore your confidence.
4. Divide the task into small time periods
Most people who feel anxious at work constantly check the clock to see if they will have time to finish the task, which obviously only adds to the stress. Instead of panicking, estimate the time you have at your disposal and, if necessary, break the task into smaller micro-tasks and assign a time to them. This way, every time you finish a part of the project, you will feel satisfied, you will understand that you can finish the task and you will be able to calm your anxiety.
5. Talk to someone
The simple act of talking has a cathartic effect in itself. So if you have a good friend at the office, don’t hesitate to ask for a few minutes of their time to tell them how you feel. You can also quickly phone your partner to tell them what’s going on. Talking about our worries and emotions frees us up, which automatically lowers anxiety levels and allows us to take a more objective stance.
