Managing overwhelm at work

As a manager at work, tasks can often include confronting tasks (or what feel confronting). E.g. facilitating workshops or training sessions with people that are completely new and unfamiliar to me. This sends me into a state of fight or flight instantly when I hear about the task. I fear ALL of it, not knowing how to act/speak, what questions will people ask and what if I don't know the answers, and so on.

I'm wondering if anyone experiences similar feelings/experiences within their work setting and how they manage it? 

It often feels unmanageable and I try to ground myself in the moment but end up feeling consumed by it and trying to find a way out. However, with it being part of my role sometimes this isn't an option.

Parents
  • Are you new in the management post? If not are the feelings worse at the moment or have you found mechanisms that worked for you before have stopped working? Or has the working context changed?

    I only ask as I’m a manager and sometimes have similar feelings, but they became worse about a year ago when it all started to build up. I would recommend trying to take some time to think of things that would make these aspects of your job more manageable for you (if you plan to stay in that role of course). I wrote a wellbeing plan for myself recently and discussed it with my manager which has made a big difference. Lots of small things that just make things easier.

  • I have experience in management previously but I have just started this job only 4 weeks prior so everything is all fresh for me. I have been open with my line manager about asd but I will definitely think about doing a wellbeing plan for this role. It's something that I have not yet thought of with everything else going on. Thank you for your response too 

  • Wishing you all the best and do take heart that you wouldn’t have been recruited for this job if you didn’t have the skills to do it. We all need coping strategies to get through the tougher elements of our lives

Reply
  • Wishing you all the best and do take heart that you wouldn’t have been recruited for this job if you didn’t have the skills to do it. We all need coping strategies to get through the tougher elements of our lives

Children
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