The Art of Adopting Change at Work
You just started your first-ever job. You had a promotion. You started working from a different office space or just went for a career change. In any case, you feel elated. After all, you grabbed an opportunity to prove you are worth it.
Simultaneously, you will also relate to the jitters when such transitions happen at work. Hey! Don’t worry. It’s natural to feel this way. In fact, science says that we humans are hardwired to feel anxious in pretty much any new situation.
And since you will be feeling an added impression of making the first good impression, it is no surprise that it will be an anxiety-provoking endeavor. Let’s talk about this a bit more not to feel it’s only happening to you.
Why do you feel anxious about the change?
Change is the only constant, yet it makes us go numb the moment it happens- The Star in Me
Whosoever is alive has to undergo a lot of changes. Experiencing transitions in work and relationships, physical and mental health, and other events happen all the time. Sometimes it happens because you planned it. During other times, it happens so suddenly and unexpectedly.
Some of you might have spent a great deal of energy coping with the change. However, it’s understandable that some of you might be overwhelmed with the whole situation. As per the clinical psychologist and the host of “The Kurre and Klaplow Show,” Joshua Klaplow,” for some, starting something new or a change taps into the old fears. It is also called anticipatory anxiety, where you feel uncertain about what will happen.
Now that you know the reason behind your stress and anxiety, you must be wondering how not to feel like that. This is why we are here. This article will find healthy habits or tricks to overcome such feelings during transitions.
Learn from the expert: Register for our session- Managing Performance Anxiety during Transitions
These 5 tricks can help you overcome anxiety during transitions.
The following steps can quell your transition nerves and start this change as confident as possible.
- Be aware of how feelings of stress physically manifest for you
The first step to controlling the stress is knowing its symptoms- The Star in Me.
Before you try any technique, you must know how these feelings of stress physically manifest for you. For example, do you feel a bit frustrated? Do you keep losing control? Do you find it difficult to relax? Do you feel worthless? Do you avoid others?
First of all, make sure you are aware of such feelings. Only then do you use tools like breathing strategies to bring back the body to a normal state? And this will get your mind back to important things at hand.
You can try deep breathing exercises on your way to work. You can also try taking breaks whenever appropriate to calm yourself down. The moment you control your breathing, you will automatically start focusing on things that matter. Remember, it isn’t the only thing to do, but you need to begin with it to get somewhere.
- Personalize your workstation to make it your own
We are inherently wired to feel unsafe in unfamiliar environments. The moment you add in some “you” to the place, you can easily bust the stress away- The Star in Me.
You have amazing people around and an even more amazing workplace. You are pretty excited. Still, the stress keeps you going back to the thought, “what if I fail?” or “what if this wasn’t the right decision?”
But worry not. You can get past this feeling by personalizing your workspace. This will make you more confident during the transition. Whether you have a cubicle or a corner desk, this option will motivate you to do the work. The key here is surrounding yourself with things you are most comfortable with. You can add pictures of quotes you like, keep your favourite coffee mug across the keyboard, or whatever calms you down during transitions.
Also, Read: Success requires mastery of 7 difficult things
- Find one friendly face until awkwardness is over.
Don’t be connected but feel the connection to avoid transition jitters- The Star in Me.
You had friends before you entered this place. They used to make you feel calm and composed in any problematic situation. However, you can’t find the same connection right on the first day at work. The new faces make it hard for you to focus on the work. But there is always someone that you can connect with during those onboarding processes, understanding what your job is, and break hours.
So, finding that one friendly face will help you hang on during transition to scoop your first week. It doesn’t matter who they are. All you have to do is hang out with them until you feel at ease. Try to build a relationship to transition well into your new work environment.
- Ask questions and control your expectations.
Learn as much as you can without going overwhelming yourself- The Star in Me
If you want to train your mind to focus on things that matter at work, you need to start asking questions. This will help you learn about the job, coworkers, manager, and the organization. Make sure you ask all the things at the right time. You can keep a list of questions ready and reference them anytime. This is how you can feel more confident about your role.
At the same time, you have to keep telling yourself that you have to learn new things. But that doesn’t mean you have to be the best at what you do from the first moment. You need to keep reasonable expectations from yourself. Remember, you need time to learn. If there are any missteps, don’t feel back. Use that to become more efficient over time.
Ideally, you must never clutter your to-do list with many tasks. Take it slow, and celebrate every accomplishment, no matter how slow or significant it is. This will make you feel more confident.
- Approach the transition with positivity
Think of change as an opportunity to learn new things, and you will indeed cease the day-The Star in Me.
Your career transition must be a welcoming experience. If you focus on learning and growing in your professional life, you will always welcome this change with positivity and excitement.
For example, if you are worried, acknowledge that mistakes are a part of a learning process. This will give you a productive mindset and help you make a mark during the transition.
Conclusion
Some anxiety is normal. It is nothing but helpful. It keeps you focussed and engaged. In fact, some stress can help you perform better at work.
Contrary to that, if you go beyond the threshold, it might impede your performance at work. If the latter applies to you, opt for the tips mentioned above and give yourself a smiling head start to this change.
