Work anxiety

[mindfulmam]

Hi I suffer with work anxiety - I get anxious before work, sometimes in work and after work. I am even anxious on leave as I feel I should be in work and especially before going back.
I'm not anxious all the time but can have episodes of severe anxiety , panic and overwhelm. At the same time Im not really mentally ill and do function in a very stressful job. I'm in therapy which I need to keep me on an even keel.
I'm looking for friends for support as it can be a bit lonely and people don't really get how awful it can be to feel in overwhelm.

Anyone ?

Anyone else have severe work anxiety , history of work bullying or trauma?
It would be really nice to share stories or have support. Or coping ideas fir Sundays etc

Bumping for you.

I had a disciplinary in a job and left rather than face the music. That haunted me for years. In my current role it has manifested as low confidence, imposter syndrome, perfectionism.

I have had some terrible episodes, after a promotion this year I went off sick with stress. I was making mistakes and was worried of losing my job.

What I have found helpful are taking breaks, talking about it, approaching a senior, asking for more time. And medication, that's probably the most helpful at the moment. We also have plans at work for support with mental health issues, and there is an Employee Support Line.

Sundays - I am trying to plan the Monday on a Friday afternoon, and have Sunday as a completely off day - no chores, no undone things from work, and do lovely relaxing things (takes planning though!)

I'm the same. I'm anxious in general, but nothing sets it off like work does. I constantly think I'm going to get in trouble for something, if a negative comment is made I feel like a complete failure at work. I dread going back after time off as people pick up my work whilst I'm off and I feel like I am going to get loads of negative feedback about how I have been doing. I dream of winning the lottery so I never have to work again or at least so I can go part time. Saturday is my only work anxiety free day

Thank you both.
It's Monday morning- my least favourite time of the week. I'm tired but not quite as anxious as usual

You're not alone. I'm sitting here feeling like I'm going to be sick, just at the thought of going into work.

I describe this as feeling like I hold my breath the whole time I’m at work. And it’s not because of my job - I adore it. But I just find it so hard to function in that sphere.

I feel exactly the same. I suffer so badly with work anxiety and just don't know how to manage it. Sometimes the simplest of work tasks (truly simple quick tasks) can't get done because I feel so overwhelmed. This then spirals into feeling worse.

Same here. I rarely get more than 4 hours sleep on a Sunday night. Menopause has made it far worse due to brain fog. Also have a snappy and passive/aggressive boss.

I’m wide awake yet again but totally exhausted. Worrying about work, what I didn’t do yesterday or maybe missed, what I’ll be faced with today, the overwhelming workload but more the expectation that it’s completed faster. I was recommended for a promotion that I interviewed for, would never have applied off my own back. Doubt I’ll get it, but had great comments given to me but they’ve left me feeling even worse because that means the doubt is all on me. It’s unfounded.
Lots going on outside of work, a child struggling at school, family member with terminal illness, housework I can never get on top of, a huge declutter that’s needed.... if only I could sleep it’d make things a bit easier.
The anxiety gets so bad at times, I struggle to go to work and then I struggle to actually do anything. I look at changing jobs but I think it’s me, I think it’d follow me.

Hope you got some rest @TidaQuel

The weekend is getting closer. I hope everyone has a smooth few days and can focus on the weekend.

Sometimes I feel work makes me a bit rubbish at everything.

I work 4 days a week, if you throw in some travel and a company wide meeting (of which we have lots) then I feel I have 2.5/3 days to do what feels like a full time job. I then play catch up in my evenings. Which means housework and life admin lags. At the weekend then I'm playing catch up on that and so social and anything remotely fun gets pushed aside. It means then that there is no area of my life I'm comfortable with.

Thanks Serabi, I was awake from 1.30 this morning and only snoozed for about 40 minutes until the alarm went off. Really hope I get done sleep tonight- I can barely function.

I know just what you mean about the time taken up by other things gives less time to actually work on your work load.
Due to a reshuffle internally, I’m now spending a small portion of the day along about 5 others, doing a job that was previously dealt with by a team of 5 or 6 that was their sole job for the full day. We are drowning in work. And it comes from all directions plus there are constant interruptions. I’m seriously considering stepping down from it but I guess that would be very frowned upon? I enjoy it but I think the pressure is too much for me. I’ve never had to work under that type of pressure before, I just don’t think I’m cut out for it. The work is fine, the amount and the pressure isn’t.

How is everyone doing? I'm so overwhelmed at the moment and I'm just falling more and more behind which is making it worse. I sit at the desk in a haze not getting anything done as I'm so worked up and freeze with inaction

I can relate, around three years ago I had a huge panic attack at work (out of the blue) and this spiralled in to severe work anxiety. I found the courage to pull my line manager into a meeting room one morning and told her everything. She was amazing. Referred me to our employee assistance programme, set me loads of work I could do from home and came into the office a few hours a day and built up returning full time over a period of time. The pressure was totally released the minute I spoke out about how I felt. I am still with the same company but different role now, nothing to do with my mental health but I wanted a change. I can say that anxiety doesn’t affect my work life anymore. Is there someone you can speak to, OP?

I've made a mistake at work today. Minor mistake in the scheme of things but I now my manager will put a lens on it and see it as 'paying attention to detail' and she will escalate this minor mistake into a mountain and I feel physically sick and couldn't eat my dinner tonight.