How to Overcome Anxiety on Your First Day of Work
It can be very stressful starting a new job. Even if this is familiar work that you have done for other companies, every company has their own rules and policies that must be followed. It is important to remember how normal it is to be nervous on your first day of work and to breathe, relax and not be afraid to ask questions.
Starting a new job has a tendency to start up your anxiety. You may have the type of personality where you feel like you will not be comfortable in your new job unless you know absolutely everything right away. You do not want to lose your job as soon as you start it and you also do not want to let anyone down. You also may not feel like you will get anything right at work when you think about how all of your co-workers have more experience than you do. You need to know that not everyone will know everything right away and that you cannot rush knowledge no matter how long your training period is.
When you are stressed at work on your first day, you will have a tendency to stiffen your body. This may mean clenching your fists, being quick to be hasty to co-workers trying to lighten you up, or not smiling. This can affect your performance if you are working with clients and they feel like you are too stiff. It can be intimidating to them. You need to relax by loosening your shoulders and breathing naturally. Remind yourself that today will be a good day.
Before you are too quick to send in your resignation, remind yourself why you wanted this job in the first place. Keep in mind that out of many applicants, yours was the application that they were most impressed with. That must mean that your hiring manager saw something about you that showed that you were the right fit for the position. Also, remember that you may have gotten this job to help add to your resume, because this is your dream career, to help support you and your family, as well as growing as a person. Whatever hard work you need to complete with this job may be worth it in time.
You can start your job by introducing yourself to your new co-workers. You may be waiting for them to take the initiative. But, if you are always around each other but never introduce each other, it may be awkward if you are always around each other and never know each other’s names. Have the courage to go up to that person and tell them your name and what you position is in the company. You can let them know you are introducing yourself because you know that you will be spending a lot of time together on projects or that you will tend to always pass by each other such as if you are a receptionist. This will give you a more positive start during your first week as you will realize how nice everyone is at work and how help. Remember that everyone is human and have been where you are during their first day. By making friends or even allies at work, you will know who to go to when you need help.
Do not hesitate to ask any questions. Chances are that if you are a new face, people will know that you are new to the company. Reach out to someone you are comfortable with and ask your question. If you feel like you have a lot of questions and do not want to keep bothering this person every five minutes, write them down and ask them all. If someone asks you why you are asking so many questions, let them know that you are new. Also, do not be afraid to ask someone to further demonstrate what they mean. After all, the more questions that you ask, the more answers you will get. You will perform better getting the real answers instead of assuming you know what you are doing in fear of coming up to someone. So that you do not have to feel too out of place in this new work environment, take a tour around all of the areas you will be at so that you do not have to keep asking for directions. Explore your work, your breakroom, where your boss works, and anywhere else you will be at. You can also personalize your workspace by adding pictures of your loved ones in your cubicle as well as any other supplies you use. It will make you feel more at home.
The most important thing that you can do is communicate your feelings. Let your boss know that you need time to process the information. Tell them what your preferred method is to help you process the information whether it is shadowing someone or doing the actual work yourself and having someone watch you. If you feel like your boss is not being understanding, speak to Human Resources about your troubles and they may be able to help you. Having anxiety at work can mean that you care about your job and do not want to let anyone down. You can overcome your anxiety at work by taking a deep breath and finding someone at work you can trust help make your job easier.
Established in 1939, High Watch is the world’s first 12-Step treatment center. Every individual who walks through our doors joins a definitive culture of compassion, dignity, and respect from a genuinely caring staff dedicated to seeing the disease of addiction find remission. Providing proven therapeutic approaches and comprehensive 12-Step education, patients leave High Watch with the confidence to maintain abstinence and live a healthy, happy, sober life. Start your journey today by calling 860.927.3772.
