This One 'Harmless' Work Habit May Actually Be Anxiety In Disguise

Catherine Falls Commercial via Getty Images Anxiety at work can manifest in many different ways, but procrastination is a common form. “Watch out for your judgmental thoughts like 'I’m lazy' or 'I’m worthless' because these self-criticisms maintain the threat state.” - Cathy Ranieri, psychotherapist “Anxiety fuels procrastination by creating a ‘flight’ response,” said Jordan White, a licensed clinical social worker in Florida and Illinois who focuses on adults with anxiety. “Someone with anxiety will feel a need to avoid the topic or task because completing or thinking about completing the task creates a deep worry for them, whether it’s a thought that they would fail or whether it’s a thought of ‘I’m not good enough.’” It’s not totally your fault if you do this ― this is typically how our brains react when we’re stressed. “Try to execute small tasks to get some easy ‘wins’ first that can both contribute to some momentum and allow you to move into a more parasympathetic nervous system state rather than living in threat,” Ranieri said. Ranieri said to watch out for your judgmental thoughts like “I’m lazy” or “I’m worthless” because these self-criticisms maintain the threat state.