New Job, Anxiety Heightened.

[PackersFan2032]

Greetings all. I am new to the page and am looking to try something new to hopefully cope with my anxiety. I am diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, and am currently on medications. They seem to help for the most part, however, I just started a new job and the anxiety is on the rise. A part of my job involves disciplining people. It’s not a fun part of the job, at all. Especially when you make a decision no one likes. I usually second guess myself and will think about it for days on end. What could I have done better? Is what I did the right decision? Etc...

I also find myself overthinking things my coworkers say. I’ve always been an awkward person, and fitting in has always been difficult for me. Whenever people ask me the question, “How do you like it so far?” I assume I’m not good enough at my job and that’s why they’re wondering how I like it. I’ve had no issues with supervisors when it comes to my performance, and the people who trained me thought very highly of my abilities. I just can’t seem to overcome the whole, “Am I good enough?” mindset.

 

[triceps]

Hi and welcome PackersFan2032. Good luck to your Packers Sunday. I've got GAD and am living in NW WI. I was a HR Director supervising 1300 employees at a casino. I used a progressive discipline system that started with a documented, signed verbal warning, moving to a suspension with a signed document that threatened termination if the behavior continued. Clarity of your disciplinary process and utilizing it in every situation where disciplinary action is required takes much of the pressure off of you, making it a much less personal act which is what makes you feel badly about it.

Your low self esteem is so common for those of us with GAD and I dealt with it by using the attitude of heading to work with the intent of doing the best job I could and not beating myself up over my performance. I did the best I could do and that's all an employer can ask for. You've obviously got the skills that got you in a supervisory position even if you have trouble accepting that internally. Don't worry about being good enough, just prioritize doing the best you can and the rest will eventually be absorbed mentally.

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

It's typical to feel a lot of anxiety over a new job.

But it's also typical to start feeling much calmer once you've been at that job for a while. So hang in there, PackersFan!

 

[stevet]

[QUOTE: triceps... I used a progressive discipline system that started with a documented, signed verbal warning, moving to a suspension with a signed document that threatened termination if the behavior continued. Clarity of your disciplinary process and utilizing it in every situation where disciplinary action is required takes much of the pressure off of you, making it a much less personal act which is what makes you feel badly about it.

This is excellent feedback, in my opinion. I would simply add to consider keeping the interaction brief, yet thorough.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[FinneousRex]

As for the “how do you like your new job so far” question... think of it this way - if you had a job that you were at for a long time and a new person started, how would you strike up conversation? Probably with that exact question!

It’s awkward meeting new coworkers and there are pretty typical standard questions that we ask new people, cause, well, you know nothing about them, don’t want to offend them or ask anything too personal! I know not overthinking things is hard. But try to rationalize your thoughts. Good luck and congrats on the new job!

 

[Joshua1]

Greetings all. I am new to the page and am looking to try something new to hopefully cope with my anxiety. I am diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, and am currently on medications. They seem to help for the most part, however, I just started a new job and the anxiety is on the rise. A part of my job involves disciplining people. It’s not a fun part of the job, at all. Especially when you make a decision no one likes. I usually second guess myself and will think about it for days on end. What could I have done better? Is what I did the right decision? Etc...

I also find myself overthinking things my coworkers say. I’ve always been an awkward person, and fitting in has always been difficult for me. Whenever people ask me the question, “How do you like it so far?” I assume I’m not good enough at my job and that’s why they’re wondering how I like it. I’ve had no issues with supervisors when it comes to my performance, and the people who trained me thought very highly of my abilities. I just can’t seem to overcome the whole, “Am I good enough?” mindset.

Overthinking is the worse mental issue a person can have if its severe. I struggled with it myself, it prevented good descent hour sleep, i could not focus on anything. It promoted a negative mindset, etc. It can bring a whole a lot of anxiety on a person, it can bring depression, and other mental health issues. The best way i overcame my overthinking was to listen to music, and practice trying not to think of anything. I practised mental relaxing methods, it helps to take a medication that relaxes my brain too.