Most of us these days are serial procrastinators. Before even working for something, we start thinking about the best and the worst of it.
The train of thought starts from one point and within no time takes you to the anxiety station.
This seriously hampers our productivity, and we are left with only one thing in our hands — ‘worries.’
No matter how much people try, they just cannot seem to get the ‘worries’ out of their systems.
Worrying becomes so severe that they start worrying about the fact that they worry too much!
Too many worries. Literally. Well, if you are one of those people, know that you are not alone.
Pre-work anxiety is extremely common, and I can assure you almost every professional has felt it — and dealt with it.
If you haven’t been able to deal with it so far, here are a few actionable steps to work more and worry less!
Often times, our worrying does not even have a concrete source. We have just become habitual to procrastination so much that it starts happening even without a foundation. This is why it is advised to write down whatever it is that is worrying you.
Make three columns. Write the worries in the first column. What’s the worst that could happen in the second column, and how can you tackle the problem in the third.
Once you write all these things down, the process itself gives you a clear picture of your situation and calms you down almost subconsciously.
And when you write a solution for your worries, it gives you the motivation to go and act on it. Try some of these stress management tips to calm down your random thoughts.
To get over the pre-work anxiety — the sure shot formula is to gain a perspective of your situation.
The primary reason why pre-work anxiety kicks in is that we get anxious for our work elements that are not under our control.
If you look at it from a perspective — the same reason will help calm your anxiety.
If it’s not under your control, what can you do about it? What’s the point of stressing over it? Do what needs to be done, and do it the best you can.
Sometimes the cause of worrying too much is the lack of motivation and confidence.
This is why before every major project you must give yourself a good pep talk.
Make it dramatic. Face yourself in the mirror. Say that you can do it. Convince yourself.
List your skills and abilities to the man in the mirror. Tell him exactly why you think you can complete the task. Now go out and do exactly that — complete the task!
When anxiety becomes too difficult to handle, the best step is to step off for a few moments. Distract yourself.
Don’t think about work; don’t talk about it. Listen to music. Go out for a smoke. Play with your dog. Do everything that gives you pleasure.
Free your mind from the work completely, before starting afresh from scratch.
Despite the fact that you already know this — it needs to be reiterated — worrying gets you nowhere.
It helps no one. It doesn’t get any work done. It is an absolute waste of valuable time and energy that you could otherwise put to good use.
The next time work anxiety strikes, follow these simple, actionable steps and successfully fight off your anxiety.
