What is Anticipatory Anxiety?
Anticipatory anxiety is physical and emotional feelings of anxiety before something happens. It can be related to attending a one-time event like a large social gathering or a daily activity like going to work or school. However, while feeling anxious is normal, it can quickly become uncontrollable and all-encompassing. This is especially true when we experience anticipatory anxiety as a result of events or situations that we have to embrace daily, like going to work.
However, there are healthy coping mechanisms to help us deal with anticipatory and workplace stress more effectively.
Tips for Handling Workplace Stress:
Keep Things in Perspective
Sometimes, it’s easy to feel stuck or hopeless when we feel like we can’t handle the environment or situation at work. Practicing “zooming out” and thinking about the course of events in the grand scheme of things is important. Sometimes, a question to ask yourself can be, “Are things really this bad, or am I just feeling really bad right now?” Reminders of things in life being temporary can also help us make informed decisions versus acting exclusively on our emotions.
Talk to Your Supervisor
Communicating your needs or questions at work is a great way to help reduce workplace stress. When we advocate for ourselves, we’re helping to set realistic goals and expectations with ourselves and our colleagues.
Setting Boundaries
An important part of communication in the workplace requires setting boundaries. It’s important to say no when you feel you can’t handle any more work in your workload and to only work within your allotted time frame. Try not to answer work emails or engage with work materials after the work day or outside of your working hours.
Sometimes, using the “Do Not Disturb” feature on our cell phones can help minimize distraction when you’re ready to focus or complete deep work.
Learning to Relax
Classic relaxation methods can help us maintain healthy stress levels, including breathing techniques and taking breaks when we feel we need to recharge.
Yes, relaxing is important, but “relaxing” can feel too daunting during times of crisis. Relaxation is a learned skill that takes practice; another form of relaxation, with breathing exercises and techniques aside, is finding joy even in the smallest actions of our lives.
Finding a hobby that interests you or sends you into a “flow state,” where you become so focused on your activity that the passage of time becomes almost unrecognizable. This doesn’t have to be an expensive or complicated hobby. It can be as simple as walking, reading, or meditating.
The American Psychological Association recommends starting small and working our way up to relaxation activities, and maybe starting with just a few minutes each day, with the most important aspect of this lesson being that we can focus purposefully on what we’re doing without our minds racing thinking about other things.
If you or your organization want to become a more trauma-informed workplace, please visit NYS TINRC online.
What Supervisors Can Do
Initiatives to keep employees happy and healthy start at the leadership level. Supervisors can implement new protocols to incentivize employees to take advantage of additional resources, including:
Offering Mental Health Resources
If your company offers an employee assistance program (EAP), encourage all employees to use these benefits to find help if needed. If possible, provide employees with wellness classes and additional mental health resources, such as an on-site therapist.
Maintaining Reasonable Expectations at Work
Our workloads can be one of the biggest challenges and factors contributing to workplace anxiety. As a supervisor, it’s important to communicate daily priorities and update the team as these shift. Offering support through challenging projects communicates to employees that help is available if needed.
Time for Honest Communication & Feedback
A trusting relationship between supervisors and employees can create an environment where everyone can speak freely without fear of retaliation. Periodically scheduling 1-on-1 time with each employee is a great opportunity for supervisors to learn more about their employees and allows for constructive feedback.
Remote Working Options
Flexibility throughout the workday and remote time can help employees have more control over their schedules and work time. When possible, offer hybrid or remote working options for employees.
Additional Resources
NYS TINRC strives to assist all workers, regardless of their profession, with incorporating trauma-informed care and practices into the workplace. On NYS TINRC’s website, workers can find our Resources page with free resources for many topics, including human services, advocacy, criminal justice, and more.
The New York State Trauma-Informed Network and Resource Center (NYS TINRC) is committed to fostering training and resources that connect all of us to safe, trusting, and supportive care. Since trauma intertwines with race, age, history, culture, language, and more, NYS TINRC believes that an intersectional approach in trauma-responsive care can be helpful not only for the individual but for collaborative communities and organizations.