Anxiety is an incredibly common emotion that can have a major impact on a person’s life. When it comes to business owners and handling anxiety attacks, the stakes can be even higher as the owner is often responsible for the livelihood of employees, customers, and stakeholders. When an anxiety attack occurs in the workplace, it can leave the sufferer feeling overwhelmed and out of control.
By being prepared with strategies to cope with an attack when it arises, business owners can make sure that their mental health is taken care of while still making sure their business runs smoothly. Strategies may include deep breathing exercises, talking to a trusted colleague or friend who understands the situation, or taking time away from work if necessary.
What else can be done when an anxiety attack occurs in the workplace, when you’re the business owner?
To better understand, we asked mental health practitioners around the nation to answer a single question:
“What can a business owner do if they are suffering from an anxiety attack at work?”
Put Your Feelings On Paper
“My three tips for dealing with stress and anxiety are to scribble, scribble, scribble! As an arts-based therapist, I know the power of using our hands and materials to move difficult feelings out of the body and onto paper. That is where we can see them objectively and have power over them.”
Annie Danberg, MA, LMFT, Owner/Art Therapist, Marin Art Therapy
Connect With Your Breath
“As someone who suffers from anxiety, I find that yoga and breath work are great tools to help manage and decrease symptoms.”
Amanda Bryan, Massage Therapist, Reiki Master, Amanda Bryan Therapy
Connect To Right Now
“Connect with the present moment. Anxiety often comes from thoughts about the past or future. Those thoughts take us away from right now, which usually doesn’t present a serious threat, even if it’s busy and full.”
Heather Cronkwright Evans, DSHomMed, Counselor, Wellness Coach at Hamilton Health & Wellness Centre
Practice Mindfulness
“Practice mindfulness. Lean into the anxiety to show your sympathetic nervous system that you can survive the anxiety.”
Nathan Fox, LCSW, CT
Know That You’re Safe
“Anxiety is, at its core, a survival response. When we do anything to reassure ourselves that we’re safe, even around our most extreme fears, it helps our bodies settle.”
Uri Talmor, MA, LPC, Founder of Conscious Heart Integration Center
Break Up With Fear
“Anxiety is, at its core, a survival response. When we do anything to reassure ourselves that we’re safe, even around our most extreme fears, it helps our bodies settle.”
Stephen Gillilan, Certified Massage Therapist at Ayni Therapies
Talk Through Your Anxiety
“Regularly talk about the anxiety with someone you trust. There can be resistance around this from our ego, but it’s best to push through and talk about it. People do better with anxiety when they are open and talking about it.”
Dr. Paul Hersh
We’d love to add your expert opinion here too! Please reach out to us with your answer to this question:
“What are three things a business owner can do if suffering from an anxiety attack at work?”
Contact us today with your answer to this question!
