How do I calm my nerves when starting a new job?

Beginning a new job may bring on a wide range of feelings for everyone involved.

You may find that you are pleased with yourself and proud of the fact that your efforts have paid off, but at the same time, you may become aware of a growing sense of unease despite the joy you are experiencing.

What if you're not up to the challenge of the task, or what you thought the job would be like turns out to be completely different? What if your new colleagues feel that you aren't performing to their expectations?

These concerns, along with a great number of others, may circle incessantly in your mind, leaving you uncertain and overburdened even before you begin working.

The 11 tactics that are detailed here will help you become more self-assured and prepare the path for a productive first day.

Find out where your anxiety is coming from.

Investigating your anxieties may often lead to the discovery of valuable insights.

Once you've narrowed down the causes of your symptoms, you may start looking into potential remedies:

Not sure what to dress to blend in with the crowd? Take a moment to think about how you spent your time at the office when you were being interviewed. What kinds of clothes did the other workers have on?

Concerned that you will be put on the spot when it comes time to meet the other employees in your workplace? Prepare your introduction by coming up with some ideas in advance.

Making the move from working remotely during the COVID-19 epidemic to a job that requires you to be present? Get vaccinated to safeguard not just your own health but also that of others around you. After that, investigate the measures that have been done by your organization to ensure the safety of its staff.

It's possible that your mind is always racing with all of the things that may go wrong. This kind of anticipatory worry may rapidly become overpowering, particularly when it pertains to things that you feel you have little control over, and new employment often contain a lot of unknowns.

The good news is that mental and physical preparation may help alleviate some of these concerns as well.

Prepare in advance by working on your new regimen.

Uncertainty serves simply to stoke the fires of worry, and concern over a new employment is often connected to impending changes in the position:

traveling to a new location by commuting

shifting the beginning of the workday to a new time

putting in a greater number of hours per week

dealing with additional obligations

Getting oneself ready for a change in advance might be helpful in the following ways:

Are you concerned about travel times and the amount of traffic? Do some research on the numerous ways you may go to work, such as walking there or utilizing public transit.

Concerned about how well your animals will adjust to your unexpected departure? To make it easier for children to acclimate, gradually extend the amount of time you spend each day away from home. (However, it doesn't hurt to inquire whether the new office you're considering will allow dogs.)

Have you thought about where you'll stop for breaks and have lunch? You will feel more at ease in your new surroundings if you investigate the neighborhood around your place of employment.

Do you find it difficult to get up early? You should start adjusting your sleep routine about a week in advance so that you won't feel sluggish and weary on the first day of your new job.

Find the coping mechanisms that work best for you.

Anxiety may present itself in a wide variety of different ways.

You may experience irritability and unease as a result of an ongoing repeat of repetitive thoughts. Perhaps you find it difficult to concentrate on anything because your anxious thoughts constantly interrupting your train of thought and shaking up your attention.

The following are some bodily manifestations of anxiety:

nausea as well as cramping in the stomach

fatigue

restlessness

headaches

appetite changes

If you are prepared for these symptoms, you will be better able to handle them when they arise with the support of your coping methods. You may, for instance, attempt some breathing exercises or make a playlist of calming music in order to regain some of your sense of inner peace.

When your new employer contacts you on your second day of work, asking you to walk into their office without a word of explanation, grounding practices may help you maintain your composure and retain your cool. When you get your first assignment and don't know where to begin, they may help you get over the bewilderment and into problem-solving mode by guiding you through the process step-by-step.

Experiment with becoming more aware.

When you are at your most worried, you may discover that the sheer quantity of negative ideas that are vying for your attention is too much for you to handle. The process of unpacking these concerns and worries may often lead to the discovery of useful answers.

However, it is not always feasible to "fix" your anxiety, and continually dissecting your fears might finally lead not to clarity, but rather to further suffering. If you try to "solve" your anxiety, you may find that it is not possible to do so.

The practices of mindfulness may assist you in being more firmly rooted in the here and now, rather than allowing waves of anxiety and trepidation to carry you away from it.

Acknowledging your concerns rather than attempting to overthink them or ignore them is one of the easiest ways to cultivate a more attentive attitude. The next step is to practice acceptance by acknowledging your fear and then letting it go without giving in to it or dwelling on it.

Try out one of these several meditation practices to help you bring greater awareness into your daily life.

Make your way through it.

Have you ever had the feeling that going for a little walk or jog helps you clear your mind of some of your worries? You were not imagining the situation at all. A summary of the studies done in 2015 According to Reliable Source, one possibly effective strategy for anxiety is to engage in physical activity.

Participating in regular physical exercise may help:

endorphins are neurotransmitters that may boost your mood.

alleviate some of the strain

foster better quality of sleep

relax tight muscles

If you sense apprehensive tension creeping into your limbs the next time it happens, try shaking it off with a fast walk.

A difference may also be made by including frequent activity breaks into your daily routine. Even a brief round of walking or stretching may help alleviate the symptoms of anxiety.

Discuss it in detail.

Because worry over starting a new job is so prevalent, there is a strong probability that other people in your life have also gone through it.

If you tell your loved ones and friends about your concerns, it will help normalize those anxieties and make you feel less alone. Spending time with people you care about may be a healthy diversion that can assist you in putting your anxious feelings in the background.

People in your life that you trust the most may provide you with more than just emotional support. They can also help you keep things in perspective by reminding you of the qualifications that got you the job in the first place, as well as all of the benefits that your anxiety may have caused you to overlook, such as a more rewarding career, improved salary and benefits, or a more flexible schedule.

Revisit your credentials

Your starting date is drawing near, and your anxiety is likely to increase as a result. To combat this, try challenging and reframing your fears by engaging in some positive self-talk.

After all, you were chosen for the position. Your new employers picked you out of a huge pool of applicants because you had the talents and capabilities they were looking for.

When you go into a room full of unfamiliar people, you may find yourself experiencing feelings of anxiety and uneasiness. But rather of seeing it as a challenge, think of it as a chance to shine. You are going to be presented with the opportunity to showcase your skills and ideas in front of a whole new group of coworkers.

Still feeling doubtful? You can find it helpful to remind yourself why you are the best candidate for the position by compiling a list of your personal beliefs, professional experiences, and accomplishments.

Go out and get some things for your new working environment.

Sometimes excitement and anxiety might blend together, making it difficult to differentiate between the two feelings that you could be experiencing. Put this to your advantage by making the conscious decision to interpret your anxiety as enthusiasm. After all, those flutters in your stomach might very well be caused, at the very least in part, by the excitement that you feel about anything.

What is it about starting a new job that people get so excited about? the possibility of embellishing a fresh workplace or working area.

If your employer has agreed to buy any necessary materials and outfit your workspace, make a list of the items that you will need, such as a calendar, a planner, the office chair that you've been coveting, and the brand of writing instrument that you like to use.

You may assist reduce your anxiety by creating a feeling of familiarity to your new location by selecting images or keepsakes that reflect your distinct personality and incorporating them into the new setting.

Even something as simple as buying a new clothing (or two) for the first few days of your new job or picking other essential things such as a water bottle or travel mug might stoke some enthusiasm and put a more upbeat spin on your thoughts.

Put your tension to work for you.

Anxiety, despite the fact that it might at times seem unpleasant, is a fully normal reaction to the perception of danger. Anxiety over starting a new work might thus arise as a response to the possibility of failing in the function that you are taking on.

Voicing your concerns, on the other hand, may serve as a powerful motivator in your search for solutions to stop them from becoming a reality. If you want to perform well, you will undoubtedly plunge into your new tasks with passion and attention – an attitude that may lead to success in anything you're trying to accomplish.

A research that was conducted in 2017 found that allowing worry to inspire you may help lessen some of the negative impacts that it has, but there is an essential catch. It is often necessary to have a firm grasp on the origins of one's anxiety before making any attempts to utilize it to enhance one's performance. Because it is difficult to overcome concerns that you aren't aware of, not knowing what's causing new job anxiety might make it difficult to use those sensations as a motivating tool. Since it is difficult to overcome fears that you aren't aware of,

Learn more about coming in touch with the challenging feelings you're experiencing.

Find a buddy or two to talk to.

If you have a tendency toward introversion, you probably find yourself wondering what your new colleagues will think of you and feeling a bit anxious about how you will be received. This is a perfectly natural reaction.

It is possible to create a self-fulfilling prophesy by fixating on what other people will think of you and fretting that you won't get along with others. You can be so concerned that they won't like you that you postpone making the initial move because of your anxiety. They can conclude that you aren't interested in interacting with other people and withdraw their company as a result.

It is not necessary for you to develop close relationships with each and every coworker in your workplace. Nevertheless, developing connections with people you work with may be an effective way to combat feelings of isolation while on the job, which is likely to consume a substantial amount of your waking life.

Friendly colleagues do more than only make the move to your new job easier. The Sunday night jitters may be avoided and a more positive attitude about the next work week can be achieved by just remembering that you have pals at work.

Consult a mental health professional.

One of the potential causes of anxiety is beginning a new job, but there are often other factors that contribute to anxiety as well. If you find that you are still plagued with worry many weeks into your new employment, it may be time to seek the assistance of a trained expert.

If it is not handled, anxiety may make it difficult for you to concentrate, lead to feelings of self-doubt and irritation, and contribute to difficulties sleeping and health issues; all of these things can have a negative impact on your performance at work. It is also possible for it to have a role in other mental health problems, such as depression.

It may be simpler to investigate particular job concerns and any other potential drivers of your anxiety if you have the support of a therapist who can help you move through these issues. In addition, therapists may instruct patients on techniques to reduce anxiety and cope with it when it occurs.