Anxiety at work and how to cope?

shortstack

Gorilla

I will second this question as well. Cut the caffeine out if you are a heavy user. I love my caffeine, but on days that I have some serious deadlines I try to cut it down if I'm feeling stressed out.

Link_REDev

King Kong

Best Response

Hi Opie,

I used to/kinda do have horrible anxiety but it is getting better. The best coping mechanism that is working the best is to realize you can't manage everything and anything. In other words - if you don't have control of the situation then let it go - the best that you can do is put your best foot forward. Additionally, (and not to sound lame) I believe everything that happens happens for a reason to an extent, I used to be in the mindset that the world is eat what you kill and although I still hold true to that mindset (again to an extent) for me there has always been a guiding force as much as I don't want to admit. To be honest I think it is my dead ancestors, and I am not kidding.

In sum - if you can't control it learn to separate and let go from the situation. Also talking to people helps. Crying too - I used to put on Andrea Bocelli, sit in my bathroom, and cry because my anxiety was so bad. Another perspective is to realize how insignificant you are in the universe.

I guess you learn to live with it.

That's all.

EmJ

Chimp

Hi Opie, do you know why it got so bad? And was it work-related?

Link_REDev

King Kong

EmJ:

Hi Opie, do you know why it got so bad? And was it work-related?

lol nah i have always had it. My upbringing and genetics in my opinion. All good though

patsoxbruins

Senior Monkey

xanax

wannabeconsultant999

Gorilla

Can you state some specific reasons for your anxiety? are you just feeling overwhelmed with the workload or scared of making a mistake??

For me, it always helps to have a cool co-worker that I can trust and someone to talk to about anything. Try to find some new friends at work. Maybe even someone older and more experienced.

Don't give up, it will get better.

Authored by: Certified Asset Management Professional - Operations AnalystCertified Asset Management Pro

SlovakSavage

Senior Chimp

Depending on the type of anxiety you're feeling, breathing techniques can help tremendously. Focus on breathing from your stomach (when you breath your stomach should rise, not your chest) and breath in through the nose.

tropos

King Kong

Maybe try meditation? It helped me a lot. Same with running.

********"Babies don't cost money, they MAKE money." - Jerri Blank********

ArcherVice

Almost Human

Get counseling, probably the best way.

OMS

Yoga or LSD

Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - 1st Year AnalystCertified Private Equity Pro

YoshiIsAwesome

It's all about perspective. Remembering how fortunate we are to work in finance compared to 99% of the world may help your stress to disappear. That is what works for me, at least!

Authored by: Certified Corporate Finance Professional - 3rd+ Year AnalystCertified Corporate Finance Pro

giantdad

Senior Baboon

NEVER grow animosities between seniors who have made you upset. People who get mad at you during work never mean it personally. Failure to understand that could equal either unhappy worklife or you out of a job/promotion.

Authored by: Certified Hedge Fund Professional - 1st Year AnalystCertified Hedge Fund Pro

shortstack

Gorilla

Come in early. Leave late. Be 100% confident in the work you produce. Exercise.

Link_REDev

King Kong

shortstack:

Come in early. Leave late. Be 100% confident in the work you produce. Exercise.

On the money

Future_Banker_Hopeful

Baboon

I was gonna suggest meditating, but you already beat me to it. It can really help, but I imagine that it can be difficult to do when working banking hours.

Joseph Schumpeter Books

wareagle4230

King Kong

It seems like every monkey on here that does well seems to have some method of exercise in their lives. I think it's a crucial way to de-stress and can provide a great break in your day to regroup. One thing that helps me is implementing some type of organizational method to de-clutter and take my mind off of the thousands of things that are out there for me to do. Exercise, clean eating, organization, music, and a drink every now and then are my current schtick to get rid of anxiety and stress.

"Decide what to be and go be it." - The Avett Brothers

procrustes

Orangutan

Excellent point regarding the importance of eating healthy. Your point about implementing an organizational method to de-clutter is interesting. I think I'll have to try it. If you don't mind sharing, what are some of your effective organizational methods?

Authored by: Certified Consulting Professional - ConsultantCertified Consulting Pro

3 replies

CUBuffwg

The gym and g a n j a.... (work PC)

Greed is Good!

franksunderwood

Senior Baboon

Can you share more on the transcendental meditation?

I actually listened to an recent podcast interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger where he discussed that early in his career that was something that kept him sane, and he is still repeating the benefits of the the meditation he did in the 70's.

procrustes

Orangutan

Of course. What would you specifically like to know?

Yeah it's surprising how many successful people cite meditation as a contributing factor to their success.

Authored by: Certified Consulting Professional - ConsultantCertified Consulting Pro

2 replies

cheesebeans

Orangutan

Used to drink a good amount of soda or coffee with my meals as an refreshment, felt sluggish and oily after lunch. Recently started to get a cup of ice+lemons from the cafeteria, and constantly refilled it during the day. Good to curb your appetite, detox, hydrate the body, and I feel it keeps you focused and clean feeling.

Authored by: Certified Asset Management Professional - 1st Year AssociateCertified Asset Management Pro

Lone Wolf

High Anxiety (Originally Posted: 05/06/2013)

Heart attacks are no laughing matter, but if you have spent any time in this business, you will recognize that if you called emergency every time you felt the symptoms of a heart attack listed on tee vee, you would be headed to the hospital on a weekly basis. This is why when you see an ad about these symptoms, which have all the hallmarks of a stress filled day on a trading desk, most traders I know will laugh in sympathetic recognition.

There are many different things that can generate the feeling of stress, and those feelings are often confused with other maladies. So before you get out the Xanax you might want to consider some other approaches to your plight….which includes skipping the side effects section of said concoction.

Here are some examples of stress producing situations and some things you can do to minimize, avoid and or take control of these circumstances….instead of:

choking the shit out of someone who desperately needs it

Check your breathing. If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, you will typically be tightening your core and breathing will be rapid and shallow into your chest. This will accelerate your heartbeat and initiate the release of various chemicals into your system which in turn will set off a series of physiological effects. You will be transformed into a werewolf…..(uh, sorry, got carried away). These effects can be effective at the front door of Walmart on Black Friday, but generally have less value on the trading desk when clear thought and action are required. This situation can be mitigated to some extent by breathing deeply and extending your abdomen. Push air into your diaphragm and give your body time to disperse the chemical onslaught and reduce adverse physiological impacts.

Your diet. If you are eating fruit, sugar laced yogurt, and drink gigantic caramel macchiato for breakfast the following is going to happen: you will sail along and then your blood sugar will crash around 10-10:30. This will be an unpleasant stress inducing feeling. Cut back on the sugar and carbs at breakfast, and keep the coffee dressing to a minimum…..oh, and that 20 cups of java for breakfast? Why not scale it back to say… 10.

You are hung over. The answer here is obvious: drink at your desk….hold on, I’m just fucking with you. Being hung over at work can have many negative effects including stress and making you an all-round prick for no reason. Save your boozing for the weekend and keep school nights clean.

Sleep. As you get older you too will notice a correlation between your sleep and any type of performance. It is the same with trading performance. If you don’t get enough rest your body will likely be under duress when you need to perform, and your mind will lack the necessary clarity to make important time sensitive decisions. Sleep is so fundamental to performance that top athletes have people to assist them with this critical activity.

Do your homework. Any position requires a thought process, and bigger positions require more thorough knowledge and analysis. If you didn’t do your homework: clear the decks and re-evaluate. Not obvious yet? If you start your research after the position doesn’t do what you think it should, you have it backwards.

A little perspective. A series of losses has damaged your confidence. This can happen to anyone. If your strategy isn’t working, and adjustments aren’t helping, the solution is to cut your size back and remember that losses as well as gains are valuable information. The more you view losses as info rather than a threat to your very existence, the less stress you will experience during these periods. This might also help you at the bar when you strike out repeatedly.

Rules. A recent article covered some important trading rules. A couple of them dealt with your plan and taking losses. Letting a trade turn into an investment means that you have abandoned your plan, and refused to follow your rules. This assumes of course that taking losses is one of them. If you have stress due to a situation like this, you know exactly what to do….and it isn’t to double down and say an extra really sincere prayer; cuz you really really mean it this time.

Process. Your debit is huge and you are in trouble. The stress associated with large, body bag producing debits is a symptom of one or more failed trading practices. Poor analysis. Failure to take a loss, and or adding to the position while “doubling down”. Too large a position relative to your capital. Poor timing. Or the worst yet: increasing your size with every loss in an attempt to “make it back”. Good trading process is key to avoiding the negative aspects of the stress inducing practices listed above; and to elude the possibility of a financial dirt nap.

Keep your head. The train has left the station…I missed it…shoulda, coulda, woulda. Sound familiar? If you were paralyzed by indecision before the move and now stressing because it is going without you, here is what you can do: buy a little. If you are in with a small position you can alleviate some of the stress and think clearly. If you think clearly then you can use the analysis you made, and the small token position to overcome both your paralysis of making a decision and the fear of not being in. Just remember, if you go all in after waiting too long, odds are you will top tick the move. The stress of top ticking with size after watching the run, followed by being deballed on the way down is even more unbearable than missing the original move. You have effectively doubled your punishment; which is fine for the S and M parlor but not so much for your P/L and stress levels. Execution, in both directions…is everything.

Little by little. Big changes cause distress, and that is especially noticeable when you make significant adjustments to a trading strategy that has been used successfully for a long time. Any type of performer eventually figures out that small, well thought out changes are more adaptable, and more successful. Trading strategies are no different. Small adjustments allow you to test ideas and examine results. The only reason to make a big adjustment: you didn’t know what you were doing in the first place.

Great expectations. In this business, you will soon realize that the most important factor in many things revolves around expectations. These expectations are not always rational or realistic. If your expectations are unrealistic you are more likely to experience stress especially when you are wrong. Be flexible and realistic so that you will be able to adjust and weather challenging circumstances. Thinking you are going to be a gagillionaire just for showing up? Sorry bro, get it together.

There are many causes of stress in life, and your work will be a significant source of these. Stresses of a positive nature can drive you to success in a venture or provide amazing insights in fluid situations. Negative stresses that develop into anxiety are problematic and have the potential to become exacerbated by poor decisions.

Self-medicating with booze and drugs isn’t the answer you are looking for, and it will make the situation worse, for you and those around you.

Stress can lift you up or destroy you. Choose wisely.

See my WSO Blog, See my WSO Interview

U_of_Pheonix_MBA

Monkey

If the anxiety struggle is overbearing, it might mean that you are not providing yourself with enough balance in life. Exercise, meditation, reading books could help. Just something to cool you down and take your mind off of work. If you can't find any time to do that, it might be time to find a less stressful job. Not everyone is made out to be working long hours consistently. I know I'm not and that's why I'm in ER and not banking.

If it isn't overbearing, it could just be a a temporary funk. Take some time to travel. Doing the same routine thing can get boring.

Solver in Excel

PCSC

King Kong

Though long, this was worth the read. Good post.

Authored by: Certified Corporate Finance Professional - CFOCertified Corporate Finance Pro

Beny23

Thanks for sharing. Great read.

miermier

Senior Baboon

I am personally somewhat of an introvert and sometime can easily feel anxious for almost no reason whatsoever.

One of the best ways for me to deal with stress it so do a "power stance". it sounds really stupid and maybe its all a placebo effect, but if I do a power stretch for even a couple minutes, I always feel better. I got it from this TED talk-

Lone Wolf

miermier:

I am personally somewhat of an introvert and sometime can easily feel anxious for almost no reason whatsoever.

One of the best ways for me to deal with stress it so do a "power stance". it sounds really stupid and maybe its all a placebo effect, but if I do a power stretch for even a couple minutes, I always feel better. I got it from this TED talk-

Great idea. Glad it gives you some relief.

See my WSO Blog, See my WSO Interview

tiger2012

I don't get anxious when I'm high... just the opposite in fact.

Authored by: Certified Hedge Fund Professional - 1st Year AnalystCertified Hedge Fund Pro

Yekrut

Senior Orangutan

I hadn't seen that TED talk, really enjoyed it. Thanks for posting it.

The error of confirmation: we confirm our knowledge and scorn our ignorance.

abnba

Senior Orangutan

I've battled anxiety at work (cause of demanding bosses, workload etc..). I've had days where I just had to sneak into the toilet to compose myself again. Shit was crazy stressful. That's when I realized that I may also have GAD, which tends to make matters worse.

This is what worked for me - - exercise - realizing you can't control everything - finding a girl. god damn this helped! All of a sudden I had something to look forward to outside of work. And the normal work stuff that used to bother me, no longer did.

Magneto

Baboon

abnba:

- finding a girl. god damn this helped! All of a sudden I had something to look forward to outside of work. And the normal work stuff that used to bother me, no longer did.

>tfw

Authored by: Certified Private Equity Professional - 3rd+ Year AssociateCertified Private Equity Pro

Recap

King Kong

I found green tea and lots of water to be a really good option. It sounds very generic but it worked wonders with my stress and anxiety levels.

pequiteer

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realjackryan

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