You’re not lazy. You’re not weak. If showing up to work feels heavy, you’re likely dealing with anxiety. This article explores how to fix workplace anxiety with clarity, compassion, and real tools that help.
Let’s begin with a gentle check-in.
- Do you feel anxious every time a work-related message appears on your phone, so much so that it lingers for hours or affects your sleep?
- Have you ever broken down at work? Crying silently in a restroom after an interaction that left you feeling disrespected or humiliated?
- Do you feel overwhelmed by your task list, unable to focus, constantly restless, yet nothing seems to get done?
- Have you noticed symptoms like shortness of breath, trembling, or tears before a meeting or during your commute?
If you found yourself saying “yes” to even one of these, this article is written for you.
These are more than just stressful moments. They’re signs of workplace anxiety. A growing concern that affects how we think, feel, relate, and perform. And most importantly, it’s not something to ignore.
When anxiety is left unaddressed, it tends to repeat itself, becoming a cycle that’s harder to break over time. But with awareness and the right support, that cycle can be interrupted.
If you’re unsure whether what you’re experiencing is anxiety, you can start by taking this quick self-assessment:
🔗 Online Anxiety Quiz
Two Common Types of Workplace Anxiety
In my work with clients, I often see workplace anxiety show up in two key ways: social anxiety and performance anxiety. Understanding the difference can help you take the first steps toward managing both.
1. Social Anxiety
Social anxiety in the workplace isn’t just about being shy. It often shows up as persistent discomfort or even fear around everyday interactions.
Whether it’s joining a group lunch or team building activity, navigating casual conversations with colleagues, speaking up in meetings, or communicating with superiors, these moments can feel overwhelming. Even choosing where to sit, who to eat with, or how to join a conversation can stir up self-doubt and anxiety.
Many people end up avoiding these situations altogether. But avoidance, while temporarily relieving, often creates a sense of guilt or isolation. Over time, this subtle stress compounds and begins to take a toll on emotional wellbeing and connection at work.
Social anxiety often stems from a fear of being misunderstood, judged, or rejected. It’s the quiet voice that asks, “What if I say the wrong thing?” or “What if they think I’m not good enough?”
And when those fears play in your mind on repeat, even small interactions can feel incredibly difficult.
2. Performance Anxiety
Performance anxiety is often tied to your sense of identity and self-worth at work. It arises from the constant pressure to meet expectations, deliver results, and avoid failure.
In many professional settings, your output becomes closely linked to your value. The idea that “my performance defines who I am here” can make every task feel like a test you can’t afford to fail.
This anxiety may manifest physically:
- Heart palpitations
- Sweaty palms
- Trouble sleeping
- Overeating or loss of appetite
- Trouble concentrating
If you’re experiencing physical symptoms, you can explore more here:
🔗 Recognising Anxiety Through the Body
The impact of performance anxiety is direct: it interferes with your ability to think clearly, make decisions, or produce your best work. Over time, this can affect your confidence, your relationships, and even your job security.
So, What Can You Do To Fix?
Workplace anxiety doesn’t mean something is wrong with you.
It often means something important within you is asking to be seen, heard, and supported.
Anxiety is not your enemy! It’s your body and mind signalling that something needs your care.
When we develop a better understanding of how anxiety works, and how it speaks through our thoughts and behaviours, we begin to take back control. We learn to respond with clarity, rather than react with fear.
There are effective tools and strategies to help you manage workplace anxiety and to prevent it from managing you.
Start with this guide to practical tools you can try today:
🔗 How to Manage Anxiety at Work
You don’t have to keep pushing through silently.
You deserve to feel safe within yourself, and in the work that you do.
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