Anxiety at Work: When to Quit & When to Work Through It
Takeaway: If it feels like work anxiety is ruining your life, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with work-related anxiety. At the same time, it can be difficult to know how to manage it.
In my work as a therapist, I help women who are navigating these struggles. In this post, I’ll explain:
Common causes of work anxiety,
Signs you’re struggling with work-related anxiety,
Considerations for deciding whether to quit or stay, and
Strategies to help you manage anxiety around work.
Let’s dive in.
Understanding work anxiety
For many people, your job is a big part of your life. Your identity, sense of worth, and financial stability can all be wrapped up in your career.
While there's nothing inherently wrong with this, it can mean that any stress or anxiety related to work can feel like it's taking over your life. If left unchecked, it might become totally debilitating, leaving you burnt out and physically incapable of working.
Before you reach the point of your body making the decision for you, take matters into your own hands by learning more about what work anxiety actually is. From here, you'll have more insight into where it comes from, how it's affecting you, and ideas of what you can do about it.
Potential causes of work-related anxiety
For most people, there's no singular cause of anxiety. At the same time, there are many common factors that can contribute to workplace anxiety. Here are just a few.
Unrealistic expectations. Maybe your workload is out of control no matter how much you try to level with your boss about your bandwidth. Maybe you consider yourself a high-achiever or perfectionist and can't rest until you've checked every last thing off your to-do list. Regardless, unrealistic expectations can fuel anxiety.
Unsupportive environment. If you have a toxic work environment that doesn't encourage taking time off, stepping away from the phone or email when you're at home, or tries to make the staff believe that they're all a "family" to guilt them into doing more, you might feel constantly on edge.
Conflict with boss or coworkers. Many people spend more time with their coworkers than they do with certain family members, friends, or other loved ones. If you don't get along with them or experience straight-up workplace bullying, it makes sense that you're anxious.
Financial strain. Even with working as much as possible, many people have difficulty making ends meet. If this is the case for you, you might be forced to overwork, which can understandably contribute to stress and anxiety.
Lack of work-life balance. Without strong work-life boundaries, work may start to take over your personal life. If you don't have that vital time to rest and recharge, you're on the road to overwhelm and burnout.
Compulsive overworking. Even if your boss doesn't make you stay late or check your email after hours, you might have a compulsive habit of doing so. Some people overwork to avoid uncomfortable feelings while others might see work as their only source of fulfillment. Regardless, this cycle can be both a cause and effect of anxiety.
Underlying anxiety disorders. Similarly, work may trigger underlying mental health issues that aren't necessarily caused by your job. If you have an anxiety disorder (like generalized anxiety or panic disorder), work-related stress might intensify existing symptoms.
Again, this isn't an exhaustive list, and you might identify with more than one of these contributing factors. Taking stock of which ones resonate with you can ultimately help you decide whether to quit or stay.
Common signs of work-related stress and anxiety
If you're reading this, you probably already have a strong sense that you're experiencing stress and/or anxiety. However, anxiety can also show up in unexpected ways. Here are some of the most common signs and symptoms of anxiety.
Constant worry
Dreading going to work
Racing thoughts
Negative self-talk
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Trouble sleeping
Withdrawing from others
Panic attacks
Unexplained physical symptoms like headaches, stomach issues, and more
These symptoms can also overlap with those of other mental health issues, like depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and more. I recommend consulting with a local mental health professional if you experience any of these symptoms.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs immediate support, please contact 988 or visit your local crisis center or emergency room.
My job gives me anxiety. Should I quit?
If you're experiencing job-related stress, it's natural to consider quitting. While I'm an advocate for removing yourself from situations that harm your mental health, I also think it's important to really reflect before making such a big decision.
Here are some factors I recommend considering before deciding whether or not to quit your job because of anxiety.
Try alternative solutions first.
Depending on your specific situation, quitting your job might not solve all of your problems. In fact, it can sometimes create more. It may be wise to try alternative solutions before deciding that quitting is the only way to feel better. I'll provide some possible strategies later on in this post.
Weigh how much of your anxiety is related to the job environment itself.
Some work environments are truly toxic and you can't do much to change them. In other situations, the main source of workplace stress may actually be your own mindset and behaviors. This could mean that changing your job won't necessarily improve mental health unless you work hard to shift those patterns.
Draw on your support system.
As with any difficult time in life, it's important to lean on the people close to you. You shouldn't have to navigate this alone, and talking to trusted loved ones can help you feel supported and validated. Plus, they may be able to offer insight and advice to help you make a decision.
Consider logistical factors.
While your mental health is a top priority, most people will also need to consider logistics when trying to decide whether to quit their job due to anxiety. Can you line up another job before you quit? Do you have savings that can sustain you for a few months while you recuperate? Make sure to consider these practical matters in addition to your mental health.
Reflect on the cost of not quitting your job due to anxiety.
Thinking about money and other logistics is important. At the same time, it can be harmful to stay in a toxic job for longer than necessary. Sometimes, anxiety can keep a person from advocating for themselves and taking action to protect their own mental health. If this sounds like you, consider the potential cost of staying at your current job.
Go with your gut.
In the end, only you can decide what's right for you. No matter whether you choose to stay at your job out of necessity, try some coping techniques before quitting, or ultimately leave your job due to mental health reasons, you know what's best.
Managing anxiety related to work
Whether you want to try to make things work at your current job or still need help managing anxiety while you finish out your last two weeks, these coping mechanisms can help ease your anxiety symptoms.
Identify the source(s).
As I mentioned before, honing in on the potential causes of your work-related anxiety can help you decide where to put your focus.
If it's related to conflict with coworkers, maybe you can consider specific strategies to improve communication. If it's related to your patterns of compulsive overworking, you can start unpacking the motivation behind it.
Identifying the source of your anxiety is key to efficiently finding solutions.
Ask for accommodations.
If leaving your job right now isn't an option (or if you're biding your time until you hear back about a new job you applied to), consider what accommodations may make your work life more bearable.
If you need some ideas, possible accommodations could be shifting your work hours, asking about remote work options, using employee wellness benefits, and more.
You could even consider taking a temporary leave of absence for mental health reasons. This could give you some time to recuperate and get your anxiety under control before returning.
Be intentional about work-related boundaries.
Creating a healthy work-life balance is key to managing anxiety around work. Even if you can't avoid the stress of your job, you can be intentional about what you bring home.
Start considering where you can set and enforce some boundaries. Can you avoid checking your email once you clock out for the day? Can you set an after-work routine to help you transition into "home time"? Can you practice actually taking a lunch break if you usually eat while you work?
Creating a clear separation between your personal life and your work life can help support your overall well-being.
Find coping strategies you can use at the office.
While some stress-management techniques may be hard to use at work (depending on what they are and what your specific job role is), there are creative ways that you can practice relaxing at your job.
For example, you may be able to practice some grounding skills without anyone even noticing that you're doing so. The 5-4-3-2-1 technique involves noticing five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
Strategies like this can help ground you in the present moment, which can pull you out of your racing, negative thought patterns. It doesn't make stress or anxiety go away, but it can be a helpful reprieve if you're feeling overwhelmed.
Consider working with a therapist.
If anxiety is having a significant impact on your life, I highly recommend consulting with a therapist. As a mental health clinician who provides both anxiety therapy and counseling for work stress, I've seen firsthand how supportive therapy can be for people experiencing work anxiety.
In session, I use techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy to help women reconnect with their values and regain a sense of control and empowerment. I'll be your partner through the entire process, and I'm confident we can find strategies to help you feel your best.
If you're interested in learning more about my approach to work stress and anxiety treatment, I invite you to schedule a free consultation. I look forward to hearing from you!