Starting a new job elicits mixed emotions because you are enthusiastic about your new career path, but you are also unsure of what awaits you in the new workplace.
New job anxiety and stress occur due to the endless thoughts of wondering whether you can handle the workload or whether your new workmates will like you. These worries can leave you overwhelmed before you even start the job.
A little new job anxiety is normal and healthy. Mild anxiety causes you to be concerned about the impression you have to make, and it helps you to:
- Keep time
- Be observant and act on important details
- Be mindful of your boss and coworkers
- Work extra hard on the assigned tasks
- Improve your skills to stay at the top
Conversely, too much new job stress and anxiety are detrimental to your performance. You will spend more time worrying, reducing the time you have to produce exceptional results. Are you tired of experiencing new job anxiety and stress?
Today, we will discuss how long new job anxiety lasts and the new job learning curve stresses that new employees go through with suggestions for alleviating it.
How Long Does New Job Anxiety Last?
New job anxiety may last for days or weeks depending on factors such as your work experience and how you cope with mental stress. Starting a new job comes with many uncertainties that you may not control. However, there are other variables you control, and those also determine the length of time you experience anxiety.
The following are the five main factors that determine how long your new job anxiety lasts:
- Work experience: The more diverse your work experience, the lower the likelihood you will experience new job anxiety for long. You will be confident because you have tackled the same work and succeeded in it. People with limited experience feel less confident because they are still unsure if they can do the job extremely well.
- Type of Colleagues: The more welcoming and understanding your new colleagues are, the less time you will experience new job anxiety. If your colleagues are indifferent and fail to orient you well, the more difficulty you will have adjusting and the higher your anxiety and new job stress.
- Mental state: The more optimistic you are about overcoming the new job challenges you may encounter, the less likely your anxiety will last for long. Thinking that you will fail at every task and embarrass yourself can reduce your productivity and worsen anxiety. Going through cognitive behavioral therapy helps to improve your mental state.
- New working conditions: Some companies create a conducive environment for their new employees by organizing orientation sessions and assigning a colleague to guide them through the first few days. If your new job has these arrangements, you will cope better and new job anxiety will end soon.
- Personal social life: A sociable person is more likely to adapt faster to a new environment than an individual who keeps to themselves. They easily ask for help and make new friends who help to lighten the tense feeling of being in a new environment.
Reminding yourself that experiencing new job anxiety is temporary and will end within a few weeks helps you get into the routine of your new job. You will be comfortable with your position and realize that the tasks and people are predictable, enabling you to prepare well for challenges.
New Job Learning Curve Stress
A new job learning curve correlates your performance at a given task and the time it takes you to learn the task and produce outstanding results. The curve is usually expected to show a steady rise and level off once you master the skill.
Most employers monitor the learning curve of new employees, and it can cause tremendous new job stress as you wonder if you will meet the standards. Coping with job stress becomes tougher if you:
- Feel stuck at the bottom of the curve because your output is not improving
- Are not patient with yourself
- Downplay your successes and magnify your failures
- Compare yourself with your coworkers achieving better results
- Lack enough experience and your new boss is not providing additional training
The best way to deal with new job learning curve stress is to ask for assistance from your colleagues or boss, do extra research on your own and work with a therapist who will help you process your thoughts, feelings & behavior about the new job stress. The team at Arcara Personalized Psychiatry can help you deal with new job stress and anxiety, ultimately improving your overall job performance and self confidence.
