Anxiety and the Workplace

I looked to my past work history to figure out what types of contract and freelance work I could generate.  My biggest caveat was that I now had a several year gap in my work history.  I did contract work for very low pay (or free or in trade) in order to construct a current resume and references for work referrals.  This new type of "work environment" via contract work enabled me to work my own hours, schedule in my own appointments, work in the privacy of my own home, and keep the social/interaction aspect to a minimum. 

I learned that if I work alone in my home, I get A LOT more done: I focus on my work, not on what I look like while I work.  There is great freedom in doing work with nobody else in the room!  There is no daily "office attire" either. 

Separating the social environment from my work environment removed the social anxiety dynamic.  The only time this came into play was in meeting up with new clients.  Although this was tough in the beginning, I have since had a lot of "practice."  I now experience little (if any) social anxiety when meeting with a new client or participating in a group meeting of strangers.  By easing my way into the social facet of the work environment, I was not continually feeling overwhelmed.  Taking on the social anxiety in small doses has enabled me to overcome this issue.

I schedule my personal health appointments around client meetings or conference calls.  Knowing that I am not jeopardizing my work (or holding someone else up) by taking an hour to see a doctor is of great relief as well.

These changes in work environment have made a tremendous difference for me.  My confidence in my abilities continues to grow, and my anxiety levels are pretty much what I make them.  As long as I keep to a time budget to maintain deadlines, neither the work nor the work environment is a stressor.  Through building up my own business, I have been able to support my own well-being while achieving a work environment that works best for me.  This also translates to less social and generalized anxiety overall.