Dealing with social anxiety at work

Topics mentioned: anxiety

About: If you struggle with social anxiety, getting a job can feel really scary. Aimee shares how she's overcome challenges in her new job as a waitress.

Living with social anxiety constantly exposes you to new challenges every day, and almost every time you face a challenge, you grow in confidence and learn new things about yourself. One of these challenges includes getting a job, which can be extremely difficult for someone with anxiety, especially if the job means you have to deal with the public.

I recently got a job as a waitress, which was extremely challenging for me. I got nervous every time I had to talk to someone, and working as part of the team and meeting so many new people at once was very mentally draining. One of the hardest things I found was asking for help when I needed it, or owning up to my mistakes. I felt like I needed to do everything perfectly from the start.

During my first week, I was nervous every time I walked through the doors. Everything I did was out of my comfort zone, from learning to use the system to working quickly, asking for help, and, most of all, talking to and meeting new people. Now, almost a month in, I’ve served hundreds of customers, learnt to use the system and every day I do something new. I would never have imagined doing this a month ago, and I know the thought of it for many people is incredibly daunting, and that is completely okay. But I think the best way to tackle that anxiety is to just do it. Do the things your anxiety is telling you not to do.

I know this is much easier said than done, but if you’re in a job where you have to face things that scare you, the more you think about it and focus on your anxiety, the harder it becomes. The anxiety about doing the task turns into a huge thing in your head and that can be even more scary and daunting than the actual task itself. The longer you spend putting something off, the harder it becomes. If you see something that needs to be done, go and do it before you have time to overthink it. It may be hard at first, but I promise it will get easier.

If you have a job that involves anything out of your comfort zone, remember that it’s okay to be anxious or nervous. Everyone was a beginner once, and it’s completely normal to make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; if you would be willing to help someone, I can guarantee someone will be willing to help you.

You’re doing an amazing job – you’re facing your fears and silencing that voice in your head. That’s not an easy thing to do, and it takes real courage. So if that negative voice in your head starts saying you shouldn’t be anxious, or you should be able to handle things better, don’t listen to it. You’re doing much better than you think.