How to cope with
first day anxiety BREW
So, you’re feeling apprehensive about a new job? Don’t let nervousness hold you back – here are some ways to help conquer those workplace worries Writing | Caroline Butterwick Illustrating | Rosan Magar
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tarting a new job can be exciting. It may be a wonderful chance to do something you enjoy, make new friends, develop your skills, and, at the very least, earn a living. But, for many of us, the build up to our first day can also come with increased anxiety. A new job means learning new routines, new places, new systems, and meeting new people. We may be nervous
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about this big change. But there are things we can do to ease that first day anxiety.
PREPARE Make the first morning of your new job as stress-free as possible by preparing as much as you can in the days before. Little things, like choosing your outfit and deciding what you’ll have for breakfast, means these aren’t decisions you’ll have to worry about on the day.
Most importantly, decide what time you’ll need to leave by planning your journey in advance, giving yourself extra time to suss out the route. As I use public transport to get to work, on my first day in my current job I got a train earlier than I technically needed to, so I wouldn’t be anxious about being late. When I arrived early, I went and got a coffee in a nearby café and read a book for half an hour – a calming start to the day.