Workplace Anxiety

1) What it is

Workplace anxiety is persistent stress or fear linked to work, including dread before tasks, meetings, or mistakes, and anxiety about performance or judgement.

2) What it feels like

• “I’m constantly on edge at work.”
• “I’m going to be found out.”

3) Common signs & symptoms

• Sunday night anxiety
• panic before meetings
• over-preparing or avoidance
• fear of judgement
• physical symptoms
• burnout signs

4) Why it happens

• high workload and low control
• toxic work environments
• perfectionism
• past criticism
• poor boundaries

5) Triggers

• meetings
• deadlines
• feedback
• visibility

6) What helps now

• start-of-day grounding
• break tasks into micro-steps
• aim for “good enough”
• protect breaks and finish times
• reality-check imposter thoughts

7) Daily self-help support

• clear priorities
• regular recovery time

8) Professional treatment options

• CBT
• stress management coaching
• workplace adjustments

9) Medication

Medication may help anxiety symptoms, GP-led.

10) Practical tips

• confidence grows through action
• boundaries prevent burnout

11) When to seek urgent help

Urgent help if anxiety leads to panic, burnout, or inability to work.

12) Where to get help (UK)

• NHS Talking Therapies
• GP support
• workplace wellbeing or occupational health

‍