When bad things happen at work, it can throw off your sense of confidence and security in your next gig. But it doesn’t need to be that way.
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Of all the things that can make you worry at work, some of the worst are the problems you create. This is especially true when negative things happen and you find yourself waiting for them to happen again. Let me give you a couple of examples.
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Read the entire post on The Muse here!
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Say you’ve been in an organization that’s been through a lot of change. Then one day, unexpectedly, you get laid off. You have no idea what you did to deserve it—you were sure you’d be in the group of people the company kept.
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You go into your next job, holding your breath, waiting for the axe to fall again. Or perhaps you’ve had a difficult manager who never really supported or praised your hard work and efforts. Maybe she even called out your mistakes in front of other team members or taunted you in meetings when she was having a bad day.
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Now, you hear your manager and colleagues laughing in the next room, and you’re convinced they’re making fun of something you said. Then there’s the supervisor who looks annoyed every time you request time off or ask to leave early for a doctor’s appointment. In your next job, you’re literally afraid to use your vacation days for fear of your boss’ uncharitable reaction.
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This kind of thinking can be hard to escape. And it can be especially troublesome when you can’t rid yourself of the memories from previous unpleasant work environments.
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Remembering a toxic office culture (or boss) may leave you feeling vulnerable even after you’ve moved on. You can’t quite shake the idea that things are different, better now, and so you constantly question the motives of your colleagues.
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If you’re generally worrisome or anxious, your paranoia is likely to be even worse. Low self-esteem is another culprit, making it hard for you to accept the pleasant nature of your current workplace at face value.
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When suspicion, fear, and persistent worst-case scenario thinking threaten to negatively impact the quality of your work life, your only response is to ditch the paranoia once and for all. These four tips will help. Get all the details to each step on The Muse here!
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1. Notice the Thoughts You’re Having
2. Ask Yourself: Is This a Fact?
3. Ask Yourself: What if the Opposite Were True?
4. Be Proactive
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By using these strategies to acknowledge, and counteract paranoid thinking, you’re taking big steps to greatly improve the quality of your work life.
Copyright: 123RF Stock Photo
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