Anxiety

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Many people work solo as freelancers and entrepreneurs because of the freedom that the job can afford. But the flip-side of that freedom can be confronting anxiety that can arise in different aspects of your working life.

Anxiety is a feeling of generalised uneasiness, alongside physical symptoms such as muscle tension, restlessness, digestive trouble, and fatigue.

Anxiety is often an over-reaction that can spiral out of control. Your mind gets stuck in a loop where a little anxiety can bring on further anxiety.

Left unchecked anxiety can lead to avoiding situations that provoke that anxiety, which can have a large impact on both your professional and personal wellbeing.

As a solo worker, entrepreneur or freelancer, you might develop anxiety about finding work, having too much work, the quality of your output or judgements, speaking with clients, making presentations or networking.

For example, working from home you might develop anxiety about meeting clients face-to-face; networking; or speaking on the phone. Avoiding these things can compound the anxious thoughts over time, leading you to miss opportunities.

Anxiety symptoms can mask underlying disease or medical conditions, so if you experience them then be sure to consult a medical professional.

Health habits that you can develop to keep your anxiety in check include:

You might also want to try Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, if you think you might have withdrawal or avoidant behaviours related to anxiety.