Time to Talk Day: Talking about your anxiety to your manager.

Dealing with anxiety can have a big impact on you and your career. Workplace anxiety involves feeling stressed, nervous, uneasy or tense about work. This could involve anxiety about your job performance, interactions with co-workers or even speaking in public.

 

One in four adults experience at least one diagnosable mental health problem in any given year. This is a huge worry as more is still needed to be done to reduce the stigma around mental health problems. Time to Talk Day created by mental health charity Mind, is an annual day that starts the conversations around mental health and what we can do to lessen the stigma around these problems.

 

In our blog we outline the steps you can take in order to speak to your manager about your anxiety.

 

Talking to your manager about anxiety

Starting a conversation with your manager about your anxiety is highly important, it can provide valuable insights for them to offer you support in the workplace. Being able to have this discussion will allow your manager to identify accommodations that can enhance your work experience. Looking at your workload, responsibilities, and working hours can address areas for improvement.

We understand that it can be difficult to speak to someone in the workplace regarding your mental health as you will be anxious about what the outcome will be. In our guide below we list steps you can take to have the confidence to speak to your manager about your mental health.

 

Step 1 | Assessing your anxiety

Before having a discussion with your manager regarding your mental health, it is beneficial to highlight your emotional experiences, which will be crucial in effective communication. By using a journal you can document your daily emotions, helping you to understand triggers. Recognising these triggers will assist you in understanding your anxiety challenges.

 

Step 2 | Preparing talking points

Creating an outline of talking points allows you to guide the conversation and ensure that relevant topics are covered. Taking a structured approach creates a focused discussion, giving information to your manager that will allow them to make more informed decisions.

 

Step 3 | Suggest a formal or informal meeting

Suggesting a formal or informal meeting will provide the opportunity to discuss your anxiety with your manager, giving them time to prepare for sensitive information. Depending on workplace protocols, you must initiate a meeting through email, choosing a setting that will show your professionalism and honesty in sharing this private information.

 

An informal meeting has:

• Less emphasis on following a specific structure.

• A casual setting.

• Fewer protocols.

• Collaborative discussions.

 

A formal meeting has:

• Structured schedule.

• An agenda with set protocols.

• Focus on one or a few key speakers.

• Lack of flexibility.

 

Step 4 | Let your manager know about the confidentiality of a meeting

It is important to let your manager know that you would like a confidential meeting to discuss the challenges with your anxiety in the workplace. By letting your manager know in advance, you are allowing them to appropriately prepare for the meeting.

 

Step 5 | Determining the level of disclosure

Whilst discussing your issues with your anxiety it is vital that you strive for transparency and comfort in disclosing information. By taking notes beforehand, you're able to identify what you feel comfortable sharing. By pinpointing specific aspects of the workday that impact your anxiety, you can have a more productive conversation with your manager.

 

Step 6 | Open yourself to feedback

After discussing your anxiety in the workplace, allow your manager time to respond and give you feedback on how they can assist you better. Accepting feedback will initiate an ongoing conversation, allowing you and your manager to collaborate on methods that will allow you to cope with your anxiety.

 

Step 7 | Accountability

After having this discussion, your employer will agree to support you with your anxiety in the workplace, but it is highly important that you also take steps yourself to better improve your mental health. Improving your own mental health begins when you take accountability for what you can and cannot control. By doing this, you will start to lessen the burden that these challenges have on you.

 

By communicating the challenges you have with your anxiety in the workplace with your manager, you are able to create a plan that allows you to create coping methods to manage it more effectively. This is one of the first steps to take when improving your mental health, meeting with your manager will help you to get through your working day with more support and guidance.