You finally were able to do it. For whatever reason, your old job just wasn’t working out anymore. You applied to a new job, interviewed well, and your first day is approaching quickly. It’s been an exciting whirlwind. Suddenly, your feelings of excitement turn into dread.
“Am I making the right choice?” “What if I don’t like the job after all?”
The list of questions is endless in your mind and won’t seem to stop. If you are going through this, know that experiencing anxiety around a new job is completely normal. Knowing how to deal with it, however, can seem challenging. Here are five tips to handle new job anxiety.
5 Ways To Navigate New Job Anxiety
1. Big Change=Big Emotions
Being human and going through changes go hand in hand. Although change is just part of life, it doesn’t mean we can handle it flawlessly. While some people go through these changes effortlessly, not everyone handles them in the same exact way.
Going through a big life transition, such as heading into a new job, is very emotional. To help make this process easier, recognize it. You don’t have to dismiss the feelings of nervousness just because you were initially elated over the job offer.
Recognizing your emotions and identifying what they are can help you through the process of starting a new job. Also, remember that you accepted the job offer for specific reasons—whether for a better work-life balance, the pay, or a better position. Right now, your anxiety is trying to convince you that it wasn’t a good decision, even when it is.
2. Practice Self-Care
Self-care is important in everyday life. It is especially crucial when you are going through significant changes in your life. When your anxious thoughts start to run rampant, they can have a trickle effect on your mental and physical health as well as your everyday life.
This is another solid point for recognizing what emotions you are feeling. If you don’t, you might not be able to immediately recognize when you need to practice more self-care to help soothe your “nervous” nervous system down.
Self-care will look different for everyone with what helps to relax them. The fundamentals of self-care typically involve the following:
- Ensuring you get enough sleep at night
- Eating a nutritious diet gives your body the fuel it needs
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day to burn off excess energy caused by anxiety. Exercise also releases feel-good endorphins into the body, which can counteract stress hormones.
3. Plan Ahead
Depending on when you start your new job, you can plan ahead to make the first day of the new job easier. You can do small things like making sure you understand the route you need to take so you know what time to be out the door. Plan what you are wearing a few days before work to alleviate stress the night before.
When the day gets closer, start prepping your lunch and break-time snacks, so you don’t accidentally forget something you want to take.
4. Remember Why They Hired You
Anxiety causes us to doubt ourselves, especially when starting a new job. To counteract this, remind yourself that they chose you for a reason. You likely had a lot of competition for the role. For whatever reason, you stood out amongst all the candidates. Your skills and expertise got you the position, which is something to be fiercely proud of.
5. Reach Out For Support
If your anxiety is causing you to feel like you are spiraling, don’t hesitate to reach out for support. I can help you overcome new job stress through anxiety therapy.
