Written by:
Laura Handrick
Written by:
Laura Handrick
If you get butterflies in your stomach before starting a new job, you’re not alone. New job anxiety is common. Many firms offer new hire orientation and onboarding to alleviate the anxiety that’s natural when starting a new job. Not being able to sleep the night before a new job or being anxious for a day or two, that’s probably normal. But not being able to sleep for the month, losing weight, having panic attacks and trending worse week after week may speak to an anxiety disorder.
Here are 35 tips to manage new job anxiety from medical professionals and therapists:
1. Practice Self Validation
“Before your first day, reflect on why you were hired—after all, you were likely selected over others, so determine why YOU. Choose just one strength or trait that you believe qualifies you for this job.
When you experience the inevitable new-job anxiety as you begin, notice it and pause briefly. Take a slow, deep breath to reset, and remind yourself of this single strength. Imagine yourself using it on the job. Keep it at the forefront of your mind to boost your confidence and reduce your anxiety.
YOU got this job, because of your talent. No one can take this away from you, and this is your time to shine, so sit back, take deep breaths, and enjoy the ride in this new chapter in your life!” – Tanya Peterson, NCC, DAIS
2. Identify What Is Making You Anxious
“Is it the new environment, the unknown, or meeting new people? Once you know what is triggering your anxiety, you can begin to address it. For example, if you are anxious about the new work responsibilities, have your supervisor walk you through your average work day beforehand. If you are anxious about meeting new people, make a list of conversation starters that you can use to break the ice.” – Heather Wilson LCSW, LCADC, CCTP, Executive Director at Epiphany Wellness
3. Practice Mindfulness Techniques
“When you are feeling really anxious about starting a new job, one of the best things you can do is try out some mindfulness techniques. While this might not necessarily solve your anxiety, it can lessen the symptoms, and even encourage you to think about the cause of the anxiety and find a productive solution.
The point of mindfulness is to provide you with more clarity, while also giving yourself the chance to calm down and unwind. Mindfulness techniques can help to ground you in the present, instead of feeling anxious about the future. This way, you can acknowledge your anxieties and find a way to accept them, and let go.” – Alexander Burgemeester, Neuropsychologist & Founder of The Narcissistic Life
4. Challenge Your Catastrophic Thinking
“When starting a new job, or doing anything new that causes anxiety, a tip I like to encourage is challenging your thoughts. When people feel anxious, they often resort to thinking about the “worst-case” scenario: ‘If I don’t get that report to my boss today, I’m going to get fired!’ That may be a possibility, but there are most likely other possibilities that aren’t being considered. I encourage my clients to think through not only the ‘worst-case’ scenario but also, the ‘best-case,’ and ‘likely scenarios’ and how they would respond in each situation. This helps give the brain alternative things to focus on, while also helping us see the situation in a new light.” – Tricia Johnson, LCSW
5. Live in the Grey
“A lot of stress related to work can come in the form of all or nothing thoughts (eg. I suck, I’m never going to make friends at work, My colleagues won’t like me, etc). This leaves little room for what some therapists call “the grey area” which is the nonpolarized parts of life. You can address all or nothing thoughts in many ways, one is by thinking of a spectrum of possibilities. Reflect on what is more likely to happen in real life, and then experiment by participating versus manifesting the worst case scenario.” – Simone Koger, LMFTA & CGP
6. Talk to a Friend & Ask for Encouragement
“Doubt is a huge source of anxiety. Remind yourself that you can do the job by thinking about all of your qualifications. If it’s hard to give yourself positive feedback, call a close friend or relative, and have them tell you all of the great things about you and how you are more than qualified for the job.” – Dr. Ericka, Board Certified Psychiatrist at Goodwin Wellness
7. Think About the Employee the Company Hired
“Would the company hire someone they don’t think can do the job? No. Would they hire someone they don’t like? No. Would they hire someone who didn’t have the training to go into this job position? No. This tool is challenging your cognitive distortions and assisting you in reality checking your thoughts. After you challenge the negative thoughts, try also thinking thoughts like you were the person who hired you. What might they say about you? Would they say that you are motivated and excited to start this new job? Would they say you have years of experience and they feel you would be a valuable addition to the team? Now imagine if you were thinking those types of thoughts before starting your new job. Instead of feeling more and more anxious as the start date approaches, you would feel more and more confident, and go into work that first day excited and ready to do your best work.” – Stephanie Gilbert, LMFT, BICBT-CC
8. Reframe Your Anxious Thoughts
“If the thought is ‘I’m not going to be as qualified as my new coworkers’ and you think about that thought in the days leading up to the start date of the new job, it will increase your anxiety as the days go by. Start by identifying the thoughts you’re having that are coming from a place of anxiety. Next, see if you can determine the function of the anxious thought. With the previous example, the function of that thought might be so you do not do something embarrassing in front of new coworkers.
Once you have acknowledged where the thought is coming from, see if you can take the function into consideration and reframe the thought into something more balanced and helpful. If the initial thought was ‘I’m not going to be as qualified as my new coworkers’ and I recognize that my thinking is trying to make certain I don’t over step and embarrass myself, I can reframe my thinking to ‘There is a learning curve at any new job,’ or, ‘My coworkers know a lot about this specific system that I’m new to and can’t understand yet.’ Then, balance it out with a thought that speaks to your competence, such as ‘They wouldn’t have hired me if I wasn’t qualified,’ or, ‘I bring really important skills to this job with me.’ – Michele Goldman, Psychologist and Hope for Depression Research Foundation Media Advisor
9. Act as if You’re Visiting a New Country
“When we visit a country we’ve never been to, we research it and prepare whatever we can before we arrive. When you treat a new job similarly, you research their mission, their achievements and their clientele. You prepare yourself for the travel into a new environment by getting enough sleep, prepping your clothes, and getting excited about the possibilities coming your way. This allows you to show up ready, willing, curious and with an open minded attitude. You will appear to the existing company employees as someone they want to be around. After all, people who are traveling with an open minded attitude often remember the amazing experiences they had.” – Celeste Labadie, LMFT
10. Get Everything Ready the Night Before
“Preparation can always help first day nerves. You want to get everything ready the night before, to ensure in the morning you are not flustered and caught off guard. Do a trial run the day before around the time you are due to start—by minimizing all these possibilities that can go wrong, you will feel much more relaxed.” – Dr. Giuseppe Aragona, General Practitioner, M.D. at Prescription Doctor
11. Figure Out Practical Details Beforehand
“Practice before your first day on the job. Drive the same route you will take to your new office so that you will know exactly how to get there and how long it will take. If possible, learn where you will park and where to check-in on your first morning. Ask where to arrive and who to check-in with when you get there that first day. Being prepared will alleviate some of those first day jitters.” – Kerry Heath, LPC-S, NCC, CEDS-S
12. Try Sweating It Out
“Exercising is known to significantly reduce and ease anxiety by increasing the availability of anti-anxiety neurochemicals in your brain, such as serotonin and endorphins. Aside from this, exercising can help promote quality sleep and relax tense muscles, which can help alleviate anxiety symptoms.
Days before starting at your new job, try to find some time to sweat it out. A simple short walk or jogging can help ease the anxiety you feel. In fact, you may experience improvements no matter which type of physical activity you engage in. Just choose something you’ll enjoy doing repeatedly, so you can build resilience as well.” – Sam Nabil, Licensed Professional Counselor, and CEO and Lead Therapist of Naya Clinics
13. Plan a Reward
“Plan something enjoyable to do after your first day. Knowing fun lies ahead can shift your anxious energy into a more positive and excited mindset.” – Nicole Arzt, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
14. Thank Your Anxiety for Protecting You
“Having some level of anxiety when starting a new job is actually helpful. We want to have some anxiety because it keeps us on our toes, ensures we’re productive, etc. So reframe the unhelpful parts of your anxiety and keep hold of the anxiety that is creating motivation to do well at your new job.” – Michele Goldman, Psychologist and Hope for Depression Research Foundation Media Advisor
15. Remind Yourself of Past Successes
“When fears come up regarding not being good enough, not fitting in or being well-liked, it is important to ask yourself – what’s the evidence that this will be the case? More often than not, there is actually more evidence to the contrary. Remind yourself of past work experiences where you have had success, developed positive relationships or impressed your peers. This will help you to feel confident in your new role.” – Victoria Murray, LCSW
16. Affirmations Are Powerful
“There is a lot of scientific research on mindfulness and affirmations. If you feel anxious before starting a new job, think about affirmations you want to believe & receive; maybe it is in a song you can sing while you get ready, or a quote on your phone you can look at each day. Self confidence is a piece of the anxiety puzzle.” – Simone Koger, LMFTA & CGP
17. Expect to Make Mistakes
“One of the many reasons that people report feeling anxious about starting a new job is because of all of the potential opportunities for error. They feel it’s important to put their best foot forward and prove that their boss was right to hire them and this desire can often lead them to feel excess stress about making any mistakes. Getting started in a new role, in a new business, and with new people can certainly create a lot of unknowns, but it’s important to remember that your boss and coworkers don’t expect you to know everything on your first day.
Part of why so many jobs have a probationary period is to give people the opportunity to learn and develop into the role rather than immediately throw them into the deep end. I would encourage folks to take advantage of this time to familiarize themselves with the job duties and to not be afraid to ask questions or express when they need help! This will allow them to become more effective and productive employees sooner and will help to lessen their anxiety and worry over making mistakes.” – Saba Harouni Lurie, LMFT, ATR-BC, Owner + Founder of Take Root Therapy
18. Identify Your Resources
“Ask who you can turn to if you have questions or concerns. Find out how to contact the HR, learn about your proper chain of command, and figure out which coworkers can be helpful to you in learning the ropes. Doing It alone is scary in any situation; knowing who can be a support for you can help reduce the anxiety of starting at your new job.” – Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C, Director of the Baltimore Therapy Center
19. Acknowledge & Accept Your Newcomer Status
“The eagerness to perform well, prove yourself, and deliver performance at par with existing employees often overpowers you as a new employee. You fail to acknowledge that even when you have considerable experience and skills backing you up, everything around you will still be fresh, from the desk you occupy to the people you work with or manage.
When you acknowledge and accept your status as a newcomer, you will not only go easy on yourself but also understand that you don’t have to do everything at once. This level-minded approach will lower your anxiety and help you accept your new work environment without the stress of having to prove yourself right away. Most importantly, you will now make adjusting to your new job position a priority and move forward at an even pace.” – Azmaira Maker, Ph.D., founding director of Aspiring Families
20. Engage With Your New Peers
“Remember that everyone started somewhere. You may be intimidated by your supervisor or those who are more experienced than you. When possible, try talking to these people and see what you can learn from them. You may find that they had similar feelings when they started working. Also, engage with your peers who can provide you with support and encouragement.” – Dr. Rae Mazzei, Health Psychologist, Evolutions Behavioral Health Services
21. Get a Mentor in a Similar Position
“Find a mentor or a colleague who can show you the ropes and invite them for coffee or lunch. Tell them you want to learn about what they do, most people love the chance to share their story with you. Having a friend at work will ease your anxiety because you will find out you are not the only one going through the same things.” – Beth Tyson, MA
22. Taking an Observer Perspective
“If you find yourself in a difficult situation during your new job, try speaking to yourself as you or using your first name. While this might sound a little funny, this is a method of cognitive distancing that can help people calm their anxiety levels. You might also try considering – ‘what would my best friend say to me right now?’ Pick someone supportive in your life, and tell yourself what they would say. When you give yourself greater space and distance from what you perceive as a challenge, you are able to prevent yourself from becoming immersed in the experience.
This is helpful because it can quell intense emotions and thoughts that stem from ‘I’ statements. When you are playing the role of the detached observer, you are able to shift from a state where emotions are running the show versus making decisions from a place of logic. If you find yourself struggling in your first week at a new job, try taking this new perspective.” – Emily Sharp, LCAT, ATR-BC, BC-TMH, RYT-200
23. Act as If You Are Not Anxious
“Acting ‘as if’ is a method in therapy that is a fancy way of saying ‘fake it ‘till you make it.’ Begin by identifying all of the things that you are currently anxious about regarding the job. Perhaps the list includes meeting new people, appearing confident, or learning the new system. Act as if you are a confident, social person who is skilled at learning new systems. If you are not sure entirely what that would look like, envision someone who you have met before who you viewed as confident, easily able to meet new people, and seemingly entered into new systems unphased. Act as if you are emulating that person. Behave in the ways that they used to behave, while doing so in a way that feels genuine.
While it might take some time, acting ‘as if’ can be very helpful in seeing yourself behave in ways that you want to be behaving. If you act confident in that setting, your coworkers will see you in that light. If you are social from day one, they will know you to be social. Eventually the acting will become less and less, and you will feel comfortable in the space enough to be confident and social without feeling like you’re acting ‘as if.’” – Michele Goldman, Psychologist and Hope for Depression Research Foundation Media Advisor
24. Be Clear on Your New Role
“Some things that can be helpful in reducing your anxiety and stress are to:
- Get clarity from your supervisor (Know what your role is!)
- Be gentle with yourself (Starting a new job is a learning curve; no one is good at their job from day one.)
- Have an action plan of how you’re going to get organized in your job so that you know what you have to do and have the right tools to get things done.” – Dr. Laura Louis, Licensed Psychologist, Atlanta Couple Therapy
25. Accept Feedback & Be Patient
“It is okay to not know everything right away. Your work tasks will take more time right now as you are learning the systems, processes, and culture of your workplace. Be patient with yourself during the transition, own up to what you don’t know with your colleagues and supervisors, and seek out help from others as you acclimate to your new position.” – Amber Pope, Ph.D., LPC, LMHC, CCTP
26. Stop. Reframe. Carry-on!
“Stop the worry in its tracks. Yes, it is easier said than done and it can take practice but it’s not impossible! When you experience the anxiousness beginning press pause. Then replace the thought with something positive. So instead of thinking ‘I am going to fail at my new job’ replace the thought with something like ‘I am going to do my best at my new job!’” – Ashley Williams, LMHC, NCC, owner of Cardinal Hope Mental Health Counseling Services PLLC
27. Get to Know as Many People as You Can on the First Day
“Although this can be overwhelming and increase anxiety, getting to know your coworkers at the start of a new job helps to mitigate some of the work-related stress. Part of these stresses is usually linked to meeting new people which is a lingering feeling when you do not know many people after weeks of being there.
Simply try to introduce yourself to as many people as you can and get to know their positions. This can also help when you need assistance with something at work and can make work tasks much less stressful as you now have people you can ask for help!
To implement this easily, take a walk around during your break time and say hello to those who are around you. This will also help those around you to recognize you and be much more apt to help you if need be.” – Alexander Burgemeester, Neuropsychologist and Owner of The Narcissistic Life
28. Ask Questions & Seek Guidance When You Need to Help
“A great way to cope with anxiety before starting a new job is to work on building comfort with asking for help. Asking for help is important when you are starting a new job, and while you will need to utilize the skillset that helped you land the job, nobody expects you to have it all sorted out within the first few days at a new job. Asking for help can show initiative and build trust in a new workplace, and it is not a sign of incompetence.” – GinaMarie Guarino, LMHC, Licensed Mental Health Counselor at PsychPoint
29. Focus on the Job
“I always tell my clients to write a list of everything they are doing when feeling overwhelmed, but it’s not just about organization. Often a new employee thinks they are not keeping up or learning fast enough. The list of new tasks is usually 1 or 2 pages long. That’s concrete evidence that you are doing quite a lot!” – Nicole Evry, MSW, LCSW
30. Manage Your Expectations
“Check in with your expectations—even though it might feel really good to hit the ground running immediately, some parts of every job are easier to pick up than others. Would most people reasonably expect a learning curve?
Sitting with the uncertainty of not knowing how to excel is hard, and most people get better at their jobs over time. Your desire to do well is a strength, and so is freeing up your mental energy for the task at hand.” – Abigail Nathanson, DSW, LCSW, APHSW-C, ACS
31. Establish an “Alter Ego”
“Showing up as your alter ego could help facilitate going into a new job. Here’s a prime example from when I myself was struggling with imposter syndrome as a new therapist: I’m a Beyonce fan. When I first learned that Beyonce had an alter ego, Sasha Fierce, I was shocked but thankful. Beyonce is quite literally one of the top-selling artists in all history, and she herself had to show up as someone else to compartmentalize any insecurities she may have. Learning this, I decided to follow suit and dubbed myself “Therapist Coco.” She’s a honey badger, who is her authentic self & shows up for her clients in many ways. She’s knowledgeable and if she doesn’t know something, she admits it and will say, ‘I’ll circle back to you on that.’ This has allowed me to move away from my own insecurity of not feeling good enough, intelligent enough or knowledgeable and helped me show up as the therapist I have always wanted to be, and frankly, has helped me build great rapport with the clients I work with.” – Coral Seco, LMHC
32. Stay Out of the Fray
“Keep yourself out of any office drama and politics. It is always better to mind your own business, and if someone talks negatively to you. Listen but don’t respond in a way that makes you a part of some mess. Office politics can get dirty.
At times there are workplaces that aren’t open to new employees. In such cases, you need to blend in with everyone but at the same time, not indulge in others’ matters. Other than this, also make sure to discuss your problems with your superiors. It is always best to communicate things timely rather than after they go wrong.
If you face any kind of discrimination regarding your race or even some other sort of inclusion issues, discuss them. Your managers are there to help and support you in whatever way they can.” – Sarah Johnson, Clinical Therapist and Health Ambassador, FamilyAssets
33. Let Yourself Feel Anxious
“Normalize anxiety. Allow yourself to feel it. It is normal to feel anxious when we are about to experience the unknown, especially when it is something that we put a lot of weight on, like a new job. Anxious anticipation and excitement trigger the same adrenaline response and can feel remarkably similar in the body.
Reframe what this feeling means:
- First, take a few deep breaths
- Second, remind yourself that you are doing your best and that is all we can ever do
- See this opportunity as a new adventure that is creating a sense of excitement within you, rather than focusing on a negative outcome.” – Laura Richer, MA, LMHCA, NCMHCE, CHT, founder of Anchor Light Therapy Collective
34. Be Patient
“Take things one step at a time. Your first few days on the job will probably be hectic. As you get used to the routine, you will find things more manageable. Keep a positive outlook, and don’t let negative thoughts take over. Instead, focus on the positives; consider the benefits of being employed. The key is to keep moving forward. Keep your goals and objectives in front of you. Take small steps toward achieving your goals.” – Colleen Wenner, LMHC MCAP LPC, Founder & Clinical Director of New Heights Counseling & Consulting, LLC
35. Consider Therapy
“Many therapists use forms like the Beck Anxiety Self Assessment to assess anxiety and interpret it, as anxiety falls along a continuum. For example, on a 1-10 scale, 1 to 5 may be in the typical or expected range of intensity, whereas 6-10 might indicate there’s possibly a diagnosable anxiety disorder at play. Even those who believe they are used to feelings of anxiety or say they have ‘high functioning anxiety‘ could benefit from speaking with a professional to develop healthy, sustainable coping strategies.” – Eric Patterson, LPC
In addition, if work anxiety becomes unmanageable, or you’re experiencing a severe fear of work, it would be helpful to seek professional help.
Is New Job Anxiety Normal?
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “a little anxiety” is normal. It keeps you focused. However, too much worry can prevent you from doing a good job.1 It’s normal to be concerned about job security along with job-related issues like childcare, finances, work/life balance, managing your schedule, and even whether the company is viable.2
Many firms offer onboarding to ensure that you:3
- Feel welcome, valued, and accepted
- Understand and are prepared to meet the job requirements
- Get the training and support you need to be productive
How Long Does New Job Anxiety Last?
Eric Patterson, LPC, said he would “expect some level of jitters and new hire anxiety to be present for a week or two, maybe the first month. That should shift with each day getting better over those first weeks through the first month. Sometimes switching jobs, getting into a new profession, or for people who might have an underlying anxiety disorder, the job can send them over the tipping point. If that happens, they might need to think about needing treatment—now the lid is off the box and the anxiety disorder comes to the surface due to the job.”
How to Find a Therapist for New Job Anxiety
If you’re interested in finding a therapist to address new job anxiety, you could explore options from an online therapist directory, ask someone you know and trust if they have any recommendations, or seek a referral from a nearby doctor’s office. Today, most therapists offer online sessions which means you don’t have to commute to-and-from an office. In fact, you can attend therapy sessions from the comfort of your own home before or after work, use an empty conference room or find a park bench to do therapy on a lunch break at work.
Therapist fees will vary, with session rates often between $80 and $150 without insurance. With insurance coverage, the out-of-pocket costs per session could be very low.
