How Anxiety and Stress Can Affect Your Career

You have a critical presentation approaching, and you feel like a deer stuck in headlights. Your palms grow sweaty, and your heart pounds. You begin fantasizing about monastic life and start wondering if you could hack it as a nun.

Everyone feels stressed occasionally. However, if you have an anxiety disorder, your body remains in a constant state of fight or flight. This state not only devastates your mental and physical health, but it can also have severe career consequences.

Signs You Have an Anxiety Disorder

Approximately 18% of American adults suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) results in feeling on edge continually. This condition causes levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to remain elevated, creating adverse health effects. Other types of anxiety disorders include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD).

People with anxiety often experience intense physical responses to non-dangerous stimuli. If you suspect you may have anxiety, watch out for the following symptoms.

• Chest pain: While you should always have chest pain examined by a medical professional to rule out a heart condition, frequent tightness in the chest is an anxiety hallmark.
• Rapid heartbeat: Anxiety does impact your cardiovascular system. One vital symptom of a panic attack is a racing heart.
• Gastrointestinal symptoms: You may feel nauseous or even develop vomiting or diarrhea. You may also experience changes in your eating habits.
• Dizziness: Anxiety can make you feel lightheaded, and in severe cases, it can cause loss of consciousness.
• Sweatiness and tremors: You might sweat excessively or find your hands shaking uncontrollably in high-pressure scenarios.

How Anxiety Impacts You on the Job

Anxiety causes emotional distress, but it can devastate your career. It can make you hesitate to pursue new opportunities. It can also impact your performance at your current position and make you question your competence. This uncertainty exacts a hefty toll on your self-esteem.

More Frequent Mistakes

One consequence of untreated anxiety on the job is making more frequent mistakes. A common cognitive symptom of the disorder is a lack of concentration and focus, coupled with extreme distractibility. You might be working on a critical budget proposal when worries about how to pay your rent creep into your mind. The next thing you know, you accidentally omit a zero, and your entire report is inaccurate.

Lower Job Satisfaction

When waking up for work leaves your stomach tied in knots, you naturally begin to resent the unpleasant stimuli. However, chances are, unless you work in a toxic environment, it’s your disorder, not your position, that causes the distress. Nevertheless, when you roll into the office with a negative attitude, it colors your entire day.

Adverse Employment Action

Finally, left untreated, anxiety disorders can result in an adverse employment action. One mistake too many could lead to termination. Even if you keep your post, your boss might put you on a development plan — which can spur further symptoms. A negative attitude can hold you back from career advancement even if you demonstrate a stellar performance otherwise. This lack of mobility can make you question your abilities, feeding a vicious cycle of growing dissatisfaction.

Overcoming Anxiety

What can you do if you think you suffer from an anxiety disorder? Seeking help promptly can help mitigate any adverse impact of the condition on your career.

• Use your employee assistance plan: If your workplace offers an employee assistance program, take advantage of it. Many of these programs operate on an anonymous basis, meaning you don’t need to fear repercussions for using them.
• Seek outside therapy: If your employer offers health insurance benefits, contact them and ask for a list of licensed providers in your area. A combination of medication and talk therapy can get you on track to healing.
• Try meditation: If you don’t have health insurance or the money for a therapist, try meditation to treat yourself at home. You can find a ton of free guided meditation videos on YouTube for free.
• Care for your physical self: It’s challenging to overcome anything when you don’t feel your best. Treat yourself with TLC during this time. Try to take at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise — about 30 minutes most days — each week. Prepare ingredients for healthy meals on your days off so that you’re not tempted to hit the drive-thru. As difficult as it can seem, try to get eight hours of sleep each night.

Don’t Let Anxiety Impact Your Career Trajectory

If you have an anxiety disorder, it can disrupt your career plan. However, you don’t have to let it destroy your dreams. By seeking help, you can find peace and enjoy the job satisfaction you deserve.