<p>I’m going through a hard time at work. At times, I’m almost consumed by anxiety, fear, paranoia and I-can’t-take-this-anymore. It haunts my sleep. Yes, I’m looking for another job! But in the meantime, I wondered how you dealt with such stress, those of you who may have gone through similar experiences. </p>
<p>I am sorry you are having a difficult time at work! </p>
<p>I always try to have one part of my day to look forward to, i.e favorite food for lunch, favorite TV show on tonight, lunch with co workers that make me laugh till I pee, eating lunch away from work, etc. That way even if everything goes to s***, I had one good part of the day. Also, deep breathing.</p>
<p>Good luck with your job search!</p>
<p>For me, exercise is the best antidote to stress. I hope you find a new job soon, katliamom. Your situation sounds horrible.</p>
<p>The treadmill saved my sanity during a bad time. </p>
<p>Hang in there.</p>
<p>Yes, exercise, especially if outside. </p>
<p>I register for a race and train. B-) </p>
<p>(I also lay off any alcohol and decrease my caffeine consumption). </p>
<p>Hope your situation will resolve soon! </p>
<p>Can you listen to music at work?
Sometimes taking a walk outside helps.</p>
<p>What’s making the job stressful? Too much work? Bullying? Unreasonable boss/colleague? What would happen if you didn’t let any of those unpleasantness get to you? Another word, if you are given too much work, what would happen if you just work as fast as you could and not worry about what you couldn’t get to? If it’s boss (yelling at you), what would happen if you were just to ignore him?</p>
<p>Once you decide you wouldn’t care if they were to fire you, then what’s the worst thing that they could do to you?</p>
<p>Sometimes a situation can be so bad you can’t contemplate exercise or it really doesn’t help. Don’t feel bad if exercise isn’t the answer. There have been studies that praying helps even those without religious views. Sometimes it helps to think of a worse case scenario and devise plans for how you would deal with that. Sometimes you just have to get through it, however you can. I hope it resolves for you soon.</p>
<p>Yoga. Really helps you process the stress. </p>
<p>I don’t do such a great job managing stress, but better than this woman!</p>
<p><a href=“Arizona math teacher arrives drunk to class and keeps drinking: police”>Arizona math teacher arrives drunk to class and keeps drinking: police;
<p>I’ve always had a lot of stress in my life and I consider myself very good at dealing with it. I’ve always had stressful jobs and so long as there are affirmative things I can be doing to advance the ball I’m fine. The key for me has always been to focus 100% on the task right in front of me, and to block all thoughts of the other things on my plate. </p>
<p>I’m in a situation right now, however, where a number of extremely stressful things have simultaneously arisen that I have no control over and can do nothing to affirmatively advance the ball. It is a giant waiting game and my head is about to explode. I’m under the most severe stress at this very minute than I’ve ever been under in my life.</p>
<p>The things that usually help – yoga, exercise, becoming immersed in a good novel or in my work – are not helping. Reading takes too much attention and yoga and other exercise allow too much time for a racing brain. And I’m slow at work which is another source of stress. (I’m very inefficient right now so it is hood I’m slow.)</p>
<p>All of this is why I’ve become addicted to this site over the last few weeks. It is immersive enough that it distracts from the other issues but doesn’t take too much sustained concentration. I’m a bit worried about how addictive this site is though. I’m serious about that!</p>
<p>Listening to podcasts while walking briskly has the same quality of immersive enough to be distracting without requiring intense concentration. </p>
<p>moving while outside. It may or may not rise to the level of “exercise” but a walk or bike ride someplace pretty and not itself stressful (i.e. not much traffic issues to contend with) is a balm for me.</p>
<p>I’m starting a new job soon (where I’ve been working, but full-time and I want to keep it beyond the one year contract so need to step it up), one grown-up kid is very stressed, the other somewhat so but dealing with as lot of transition, and there’s only so much I can do to change anything for them (not much, actually), but the worrying is constant.</p>
<p>A walk in a park, or along the shore, anywhere natury, is really great for calming me down and getting back on an even keel.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your feedback. I agree that exercise is great, and have started going to the company gym - when I can. Unfortunately not often enough! </p>
<p>Nottelling, your situation sounds tough – sympathies!</p>
<p>My issues stem from working in a cliquish environment, with many much younger coworkers. One is overtly hostile and belittling. After one significant conflict, she was moved so as not to have as much contact/direct work with me. But she remains hostile and is, unfortunately, well connected in the company. </p>
<p>I do believe she’s sabotaging some of my efforts - though when it’s in her personal interest to be supportive (and to appear professional overall) - she’s encouraging and positive. </p>
<p>Overall, the situation has badly shaken my confidence and makes me wonder how I and my work is perceived. (Hence the paranoia.) My boss is hard to read, his duties keep him away from our group and he relies on the feedback he gets - which includes the problematic coworker. </p>
<p>This isn’t a situation that can be resolved without a whole-scale restructuring which, if it happens, won’t be for a long time to come. I’m old enough not to want to put up with it any longer than I have to - but until I find another job (or just quit to preserve my sanity) I’m stuck in a very unpleasant, ulcer-inducing situation. </p>
<p>Chocolate cures all that ails me :)</p>
<p>Sit in a garden & meditate.
<a href=“http://www.healinglandscapes.org/blog/2011/01/its-in-the-dirt-bacteria-in-soil-makes-us-happier-smarter/”>http://www.healinglandscapes.org/blog/2011/01/its-in-the-dirt-bacteria-in-soil-makes-us-happier-smarter/</a></p>
<p>At work, take frequent breaks at work even if it involves going to the restroom, walking around the grounds and if necessary in a wide circle in the halls looking like I am doing something important.take a lunch break even if I don’t eat- sit in my car and do nothing or look at my phone.have a goal to do my work and get out. talk to only people I need to and smile to the rest. talk a little more to nice supportive people if I get the chance. tell myself ‘what’s the worse that can happen and how will this look one year from now, 5 years from now’, etc.</p>
<p>Assign one thing to myself to do daily in my personal life that feels like I have accomplished something- write online checks, sort mail, do laundry, shop for a blind, call a friend, etc. plan in the evening after a long warm shower to drink a hot chocolate and read a chapter from a book I like that I started. </p>
<p>I try a few different things. Sometimes I do try and realistically work through the worst case scenario. I have a treadmill and watch movies or tv shows while I walk which helps get me away, I talk to my husband or mom or sister or friend or all of them, if it gets too bad I take a xanax.</p>
<p>What I really try to do when I feel threatened or marginalized at work is to focus on getting better, doing better, really throwing myself into coming up with creative solutions to improve processes at my office. </p>
<p>If I am feeling blue I also find that calling a friend or a group of friends to schedule lunch helps. That doesn’t mean that the focus of the lunch is on what is bothering you, but it surrounds you with friends and it is something to look forward to. I often did this for my mother right after my father died. She was so down and if I arranged a lunch with her friends for her it gave her a reason to get dressed up and go out. It helped her a lot in dealing with her grief.</p>
<p>Katliamom, sometimes, venting and letting others listen to your rants is a great therapy, so do not hesitate to come here and just let it all out (and I am sure the posters here will not let trolls take over the thread). </p>
<p>If you work with childish bullies, I highly recommend the book titled The No A__hole Rule by Robert Sutton. </p>
<p>Any chance you could invite the bully out for coffee and have a frank talk/discussion??? “I have this feeling that we are just not seeing eye to eye on things.” You’re older and wiser, you can handle it right?? ;)</p>
<p>I bring a pair of walking shoes and socks to work and often take a lunchtime walk. Even just 15 minutes makes a difference. Physically walking away from my desk does a world of good. </p>
<p>I hope you find something new sooner than later. I think I would feel miserable too. :)</p>