Worried at Work?

Keeping work and life balanced is always tricky, but worrying about losing your job can really take a toll. If you’re fixating on being fired, here are a few ways to let go of your fears and start a happier, healthier life.

Find your focus
There’s a reason you’re anxious about being losing your job — you just have to figure out what it is. Are other issues in your life putting stress on your work performance? Are you not getting the support you need to do your job right? Or maybe you’re simple disinterested or unmotivated to find success at work. Regardless of the reason, you’ve got to work through your anxieties or you’ll only make things worse.

The best way to stop worrying? Start working! Spending time and energy fixating on being fired only distracts you from getting your work done — and in the end, may doom you to a self-fulfilling prophesy of failure. Instead, when your mind starts drifting off into irrational fears of being fired, use that as a cue to get your butt in gear. Tackle that project you’ve been putting off. Make that call you’ve been avoiding. Transforming anxiety into a motivator helps you do the job to the best of your ability – and let go of your fears of being fired.

Address the Issue
If you’re doing the best you can and still find yourself in fear at work, it might be time to address the issue. Talk with a trusted coworker and you may be surprised to learn you aren’t the only person feeling the pressure. You may even want to bring it up directly with your boss — but don’t just barge into her office and ask if your job’s on the line. Instead, set up a time and place where you can talk privately and casually. Tell your boss you’d like to open the lines of communication for more feedback on your performance, including constructive criticism. Knowing where you stand with your boss will take the wonder — and the worry — out of your career.

Put it in perspective
Sometimes the best way to overcome the fear of being fired is to come to terms with what being fired would actually be like. Yes, it might be financially scary, publicly embarrassing and emotionally stressful.

But at the end of the day, it’s just a job — and losing it doesn’t mean you’ll lose your life. When fear about work sets in, shift your focus to the more meaningful parts of your life that will still be around even if the job isn’t. Think about the things that really make you happy — cuddling with your dog, cheering for your favorite sports team or spending time with friends and family. Even if money’s tight and you have to hit the pavement for a new gig, you won’t lose the things in life that really matter.