Hello, I'm new to this group.
I'm trying to find some ways (non-medication) to help me deal with my anxiety throughout the day. I have recently started yoga, which is helping, but I can't necessarily do that while in my office. My work situation is currently a bit stressful as we are severely understaffed and trying to fill positions but it is taking time to do so and I'm having to do the equivalent of three people's jobs in the meantime.
Any ideas would be great!! Thank you.
Hello, sounds all too familiar these days, expecting people to do multiple jobs, so I do sympathise with you (I could have empathised too, having been in that position myself, but am now retired). Having been a manager too, can you approach your own manager to discuss the workload situation? Is there anyone you can delegate tasks to or ask for help? I think, also, if you have too much to do, you can only do the most important tasks, so proiritising them is key. Hmmm....I hope I'm not insulting your intelligence by making these suggestions but planning and organising was part of my job, so I'm a bit nerdish about it, sorry ! The other thing I would insist on in the workplace is that all staff take a proper lunch break, because that makes people more productive. Take care,
No insult at all. These are great points and things I have been working on so thank you for reiterating them for me. Sometimes you need someone else to remind you of things like this to help you get on track.
Thank you!!
Do you think a half hour lunch is enough or should o e go with a hour?
Hello, I think half an hour is the minimum. You need to leave the office, get fresh air, go to the gym, go for a walk etc. Trying to work through lunch is counter-productive, as well as unhealthy (OK, in exceptional circumstances it might be unavoidable but it should never become the norm). Any decent manager would insist their staff take a lunch break.
I am allowed half an hour and have been trying to get out of the office for that time. I'm also taking time to stretch throughout the day. Might sound odd but it seems to help me.
Not odd at all - office yoga/pilates sounds like an excellent idea - one for the staff suggestion scheme - haha. Actually, I think some more progressive office environments encourage such things, because it improves the health and well-being of the staff and, therefore, their productivity and morale improves - a win-win. I did once try skate-boarding round the office but the senior management were not amused. Ah well....you can't please everyone !
This is my specialty. I come from social anxiety and Generalized Anxiety Disorder so I had to find coping skills fast because just medication was not working, thats how stessed I was. I now look to my hobbies and what excites me to bring my anxiety down. First things first, create an anxiety bag that you will carry around with your purse at all times. In my anxiety bag, I carry: colored gel pens and adult coloring books, bullet journal (research what this is, its amazing!), diary/journal to write in, sketch pad where I doodle and do lettering with my micron pens, and word puzzles and earphones. You could also carry things like sudoko, crochet, and anything else art wise that interests you. Bullet journaling is a must. Look it up on pinterest and there is an android app called Journaling. Its an entire community. I also look on pinterest or google doodling or lettering and I practice those on my sketch pad and that really helps bring down my anxiety because I get into my own little world. All these things you can do at your desk on your break or even for 10 min during your work hours that you feel your anxiety is getting too bad. Its easy to take out of bag and easy to put away. I must have my anxiety bag with me at all times. I also have a binder where I call it my personal diary. It has sections to journal in, and sections that I work on me for once. For instance, I find worksheets online and print them out and answer questions that helps me with self-esteem, anxiety, depression, confidence, so on. Writing for me is a must also so even if run out of things to write in my diary, I always have worksheets to answer questions to get to know myself better. And finally, I come on here when I feel anxious and I try and help someone else. And when I go for a walk, I always put on soothing music like JEWEL. and I play her album. I stick to one album that i play for anxiety because whenever i hear her songs, it brings me back to reality. try and stick to one album, i can't really explain why but you get used to it and when you are anxious, familiar things is what helps. If that makes sense. I hope this helps. But focus on art stuff. Expecially, bullet journaling, doodling, and lettering. and of course writing and coloring.
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