Anxiety: Is It Holding You Back Professionally?

Anxiety is a completely normal emotion that all humans will face throughout their lifetime. It can be just as common as other feelings like happiness, sadness, anger, or jealousy.

An anxiety disorder is a larger issue that can have a negative impact on someone’s daily life and routine. While a lot of emotions are felt and then passed, an anxiety disorder can make it feel like the anxiety won’t go away.

While anxiety can bring on behavioral, emotional, and physical signs and symptoms, it can also cause issues and disruptions in your home life, career, and relationships.

This is how to tell if anxiety is holding you back professionally.

Burnt Out and Exhausted

A lot of anxiety stems from worrying about past events or future events that haven’t even occurred yet. If you’re feeling anxious, a lot of your energy may be directed toward worrying or being anxious that you’re not actually spending time focusing on the present moment.

This can lead to exhaustion and burnout. These feelings will not only have a negative impact on your career, but they could also hinder you from seeing or seeking out new potential opportunities. Exhaustion can set in and you won’t have the energy to complete action items on your to-do list or to reach out for better opportunities in the future.

Missed Deadlines

Another way that anxiety can cause issues at work is by missing deadlines. Procrastination is common in people who have anxiety because it can be difficult for them to start or finish tasks. Someone with anxiety may be struggling with imposter syndrome and worrying if their work is good enough. Avoiding the work can become part of your new normal for reducing anxiety, which is not a good place to be when it comes to turning work in on time and completing projects.

Not a Team Player

One of the biggest signs of anxiety is changes in mood. Anxiety can not only impact your own mood and how you feel about yourself, but it can also cause you to view others in a different and more negative light. Anxiety can cause someone to become more easily annoyed, aggravated, irritable, and judgmental towards themselves and others. This change in mood can make it appear like you’re not a team player or difficult to work with.

Too Afraid to Speak Up

Anxiety can creep in and make you question if your idea is good enough or worry about how your coworkers will react to what you have to say. Staying silent during a meeting can come off the wrong way. Speaking up in meetings and giving your input is extremely important. This shows not only your boss, but also your colleagues that you’re committed to the work and that you care.

Next Steps

Is your anxiety holding you back professionally? If this is the case, you’re not alone. Many others have been in the same situation. Just because your anxiety is holding you back now doesn’t mean that you have to continue down this path. There are certain changes that you can make to help prevent this from happening.

One of the best ways to help better manage any signs or symptoms of anxiety is to seek additional support from a licensed and trained mental health professional. They’ll be able to work with you to help you get to the root cause of your anxiety, find ways to cope with any signs or symptoms you’re experiencing, and help you move forward in your life, including your professional career. Don’t delay in getting the help you need and deserve. Reach out today to set up a consultation.