Always nervous before work but fine during. (temporary, employers, job)
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Hello,
I have had this issue for years now and it confuses me. One example is, I worked at a job for a year and I was really good at but every time before work I feel nervous about going into work but yet when I'm there, its all ok and I really enjoyed it. This happened from day one until day 300 or so. I have a new job and like it but the trend continues with this new job, I really enjoy my job, its easy, the coworkers are so-so (but i don't have much contact with them), but before my shift my tummy gets into a knot and I get all nervous. Can anyone explain why this happens and how to stop it? I just don't want it to be like this!
I can't offer any help but I can sympathize. I retired last year after almost 32 years on the job. I had more seniority than anyone else in my department including my direct supervisor, and had worked my way up to upper level management. Even so, I would still get nervous heading into work most mornings...especially after a weekend or a vacation. I can't explain it; maybe it was adrenaline (the fight or flight response) preparing me for another day among the modern day saber tooth tigers. At any rate, since, like you, the feeling dissipated once I was there and actually working, I just learned to deal with it.
Hi and thanks for your reply. I try my best to coach myself. "Remember yesterday? How it all went fine?" I ask myself... "Yes, of course"....well today is going to be the same! And remember 3 weeks ago when it was fine? Yeah, its the same. But still, I get nervous when I start.
Hello,
I have had this issue for years now and it confuses me. One example is, I worked at a job for a year and I was really good at but every time before work I feel nervous about going into work but yet when I'm there, its all ok and I really enjoyed it. This happened from day one until day 300 or so. I have a new job and like it but the trend continues with this new job, I really enjoy my job, its easy, the coworkers are so-so (but i don't have much contact with them), but before my shift my tummy gets into a knot and I get all nervous. Can anyone explain why this happens and how to stop it? I just don't want it to be like this!
What about speaking in public? Do you ever have to give presentations? A lot of people get nervous doing that.
Hello,
I have had this issue for years now and it confuses me. One example is, I worked at a job for a year and I was really good at but every time before work I feel nervous about going into work but yet when I'm there, its all ok and I really enjoyed it. This happened from day one until day 300 or so. I have a new job and like it but the trend continues with this new job, I really enjoy my job, its easy, the coworkers are so-so (but i don't have much contact with them), but before my shift my tummy gets into a knot and I get all nervous. Can anyone explain why this happens and how to stop it? I just don't want it to be like this!
Wow, I always get a mild anxiety before my shift! Sometimes I even get nauseous and I'm afraid I'll vomit right before I have to clock in. I thought it was just me. I can't explain it; in my case I think it's because I don't like my job and I don't want to be there. Once I'm there and I'm in "work mode" I'm fine. I can offer no other explanation.
It sounds silly, but sometimes I do little breathing exercises and "talking-downs" to calm myself.
I had a job in college waiting tables and for the first few months, I was really nervous. I had worked serving the public before but not like this, with people who can be nasty to you, especially if you are new and nervous and make a mistake. I used to listen to certain music (for me it was hard rock or skater punk stuff, for you it might be something altogether different) as I got ready for work to help me get some of that nervous energy out.
Location: Stuck on the East Coast, hoping to head West
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I am so glad you started this post. I suffer from anxiety before my shift, too. I never mentioned it to anyone because I always figured it was just one of my quirks. Actually, I have to start my second job in only a few minutes and have that awful feeling of dread, worrying about screwing up, etc. And I'm really good at what I do and like my job. I think part of my problem is that I've always done work where I'm subject to internal auditing. And for my one job they actually audit phone calls. Uggghhhh, completely freaks me out. Luckily, my employers don't pick up on it. But still. . . I hate feeling this way.
Hopefully someone will post ideas on how to get over this b/c I hate going through this.
Anticipatory anxiety is very common in people who have generalized anxiety issues (if not Generalized Anxiety Disorder).
GAD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, is very common and only sometimes requires treatment. It's a disorder that got the label so that professionals would be able to charge insurance for treatment, not because it's a severe problem, so don't let the fact that it's diagnosable make you more anxious. With my clients (and myself!) I just say generalized anxiety issues.
One of the most common presentations of GAD is anticipatory worry before doing something, even very routine things like going to work or school, driving, or going to stores. This worry can be accompanied by physical symptoms like stomach upset, pounding heart, or shakiness. There might be some vague fear of going to do this activity, but there might not be a specific fear like "I'll get fired" or "I'll make a math error." More often the fear is vague--"something bad will happen, but I don't know what" or "I'll mess up somehow and disappoint someone."
These symptoms do not necessarily ever lead to a more severe condition, but many people with more severe conditions like panic disorder or agoraphobia started out with this anticipatory anxiety. Then they started avoiding whatever they were worried about like not going to work, dropping out of class, etc. This temporarily helped relieve their anxiety, but then it goes on & on to where they avoid more and more. The avoidance becomes like a reward and causes more and more avoidance. Don't let yourself fall into this.
To prevent it from getting any worse, and to hopefully make your anxiety better, DO NOT give in and call-out of work because of the anxiety. Go to work no matter what, even if you have to reassure yourself "If I still feel bad, I'll go home sick after lunch time."
Try the "talking down" suggested earlier. Try cognitive-behavioral techniques (you can find them in many good self-help anxiety books) like challenging your automatic thoughts, or reassuring yourself with how you handled yesterday well, like the other person said. There are very good deep breathing exercises that can be very helpful. [MY favorite is: breathe in deeply counting to 4, hold your breath to the count of 7, then exhale slowly while counting to 8. It's the slow exhaling that helps to slow down your heart rate and racing worries. At first, it might be hard to exhale that slowly.]
Also, be aware that with most people with anxiety issues, it tends to be worse in the morning, and improves throughout the day. Remind yourself "By 10:00 I'll feel perfectly fine---this is just temporary" or something like that.
I had a lot of anxiety & worry since childhood, and I had actual panic attacks years ago during graduate school. These techniques have been very helpful to me, and I've taught them, and others, to clients in therapy sessions. Now years later, I still sometimes get the "fluttering" in my chest in the morning before work, but by the time I'm in the car playing the radio, I've forgotten about it. When I don't want to get out of bed because of the fluttering feeling, I just remind myself that it'll be gone once I get up and start getting ready.
Hope this helps.
Last edited by Tracysherm; 02-08-2010 at 04:23 PM..
Reason: typo
I can't offer any help but I can sympathize. I retired last year after almost 32 years on the job. I had more seniority than anyone else in my department including my direct supervisor, and had worked my way up to upper level management. Even so, I would still get nervous heading into work most mornings...especially after a weekend or a vacation. I can't explain it; maybe it was adrenaline (the fight or flight response) preparing me for another day among the modern day saber tooth tigers. At any rate, since, like you, the feeling dissipated once I was there and actually working, I just learned to deal with it.
Wow, I am amazed to read this. I have 31 years at my job in progressively more responsible positions (phrase right off of a resume, eh?). I wake up almost every day sure that I'm going to be fired. I feel as though I've fooled these people for years and that one of these days, they're going to figure it out.
Once I'm at work, I'm OK.
I don't know what to do about it, but it's nice to see I'm not alone.
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