{"id":30819,"date":"2018-11-01T09:01:05","date_gmt":"2018-11-01T13:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/creator\/creator\/?p=30819"},"modified":"2020-02-26T14:30:45","modified_gmt":"2020-02-26T19:30:45","slug":"how-to-handle-workplace-anxiety-over-midterm-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/professional-development\/management-leadership\/how-to-handle-workplace-anxiety-over-midterm-elections","title":{"rendered":"How to handle workplace anxiety over midterm elections"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Maybe you’ve felt the air around your workspace\u2019s proverbial (or literal) watercooler thickening lately. If that\u2019s the case, it\u2019s not hard to imagine an obvious culprit: the midterm elections. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It should go without saying, but this tension comes to shore off of one of the most politically divisive years in recent American history. Now, it\u2019s spilling over, into cubicles, break rooms, and workplaces. We\u2019re growing edgy. So many of our conversations seem subtly imbued with anxiety about the future of America. An <\/span>Associated Press-NORC\/MTV poll<\/span><\/a> in late September found that <\/span>half<\/em><\/span><\/i> <\/em>of all Americans aged 15 to 34 feel anxious about the elections, up from 36 percent in July. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like so many Americans<\/span>, <\/b>Ximena Hartsock, the president and co-founder of Phone2Action<\/a>, a digital advocacy company, watched the pivotal confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on a Thursday morning with her team at work, with people who didn\u2019t unilaterally agree on what it meant for America. It represented a sea change in an already turbulent time. <\/span>More than 20 million watched live on TV<\/span><\/a> as Stanford University professor Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her 36 years ago, and Kavanaugh fiercely deny it. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c<\/span>We saw employees who were agitated, with tears in their eyes,\u201d she recalls.<\/span> Her experience wasn\u2019t a unique one. All over the country, people of all political stripes had their moral orientation, their experiences, their biases, and their psychology stress-tested that day. And not knowing how to address that, regardless of your views on the matter, could only make everyone\u2019s lives worse.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Hartsock witnessed firsthand, \u201canxiety happens most when we don\u2019t have compassion for other people\u2019s views or views are held in secret.\u201d The Kavanaugh episode brought into sharp relief for her\u2014and so many Americans\u2014the reality that people with different identities and different lived experiences process news quite differently. And the intensity is only ratcheting up. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe live in very different times today than even 10 years ago,\u201d says Hartstock, whose company has space at WeWork Metropolitan Square<\/a> in Washington, D.C. \u201cAnd \u2018looking the other way\u2019 may not be advisable.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The niceties of not talking politics at work, and co-workers skirting the topic, could contribute to the pressure-cooker incubation of these tensions. On the one hand, not knowing someone\u2019s political views could be a sweet, ignorance-is-bliss relief. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Except\u2014get this\u2014it could genuinely make things worse. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt appears that people may both be more fiercely fired up, politically, and simultaneously more afraid of sharing their perspectives, especially when they are unsure of the views of their peers,\u201d says Danica Harris, a psychology professor at Texas Women\u2019s University. \u201cThis is surely leading to greater anxiety and distress at work, which can impact one\u2019s ability to focus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome of what people are hearing on the news is triggering,\u201d explains Harris, \u201cand for those with a history of trauma, this information may legitimately impact their functioning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anxiety, stress, and isolation lodge themselves in our bodies. They\u2019re part of the fight-or-flight response, which draws blood, glucose, and oxygen from our immune system and other critical body functions. And for all the money we spend on yoga, or eye creams, or meditation apps, simply <\/span>walking<\/em><\/span><\/i> <\/em>into work<\/em><\/span><\/i>\u2014the place you go to earn the money to spend on the stress salves of our lives\u2014and not saying <\/span>anything at all<\/em><\/span><\/i>? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That could double the damage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re stuck in a chronic state of stress response, it\u2019s going to shave years off your life,\u201d says Michael Lee Stallard, a Greenwich, CT-based consultant and leadership trainer, and author of <\/span>Connection Culture<\/em><\/span><\/i>.<\/em> \u201cA lot of people are in pain now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such, gone are the days when HR reps advised managers to discourage political discussions at work. It just isn\u2019t a viable option anymore. But if that\u2019s truly the case: What actually is?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your oxygen mask goes on first <\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The person easiest to control, naturally, is yourself. Step one is the most obvious and, also, the one that bears repeating the most: self-care. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start with sleep\u2014the foundation of (or culprit affecting) mental health. All the tips you already know will help: electronic devices off well before bedtime, charged outside the bedroom, and so on. Nourish yourself with enough water and healthy food, which often become neglected in times of stress. \u201cWhen we are depleted, lacking sleep, or highly distressed, our ability to process triggering or emotionally intense content is impaired,\u201d Harris says.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On that note, time to go full-Marie Kondo on your media diet. \u201cTune out the loudmouths,\u201d Stallard says. \u201cDon\u2019t watch television or listen to radio where the people are shrill and everything is a crisis and the other side is out to get you. It\u2019s better to read.\u201d For example: Make a list of people on social media who consistently trigger your stress, whether you disagree <\/span>or<\/em> <\/span><\/i>agree with them. Be it sadness, rage, or panic, if they have an easy way into your mind\u2014and even if this goes against your principles\u2014consider blocking them. The logic\u2019s pretty clear cut here: You can\u2019t have principles without being of sound mind. No point in engaging these people anyway, if your reaction to them is so Pavlovian. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step away from a tense situation, if needed. Then, Harris advises, use all five senses to ground yourself in the moment. For example, using the \u201cfull body scan\u201d method many mindfulness meditation courses employ\u2014during which you take a moment to breathe deeply, and simply take an inventory of all the sights, smells, sounds, and kinetic feelings you\u2019re experiencing\u2014could be a good exercise to get practiced in. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c<\/span>There are so many important topics being discussed right now, and it is hard to turn away,\u201d she acknowledges. \u201cUltimately, though, you need you most. When you\u2019re watching or reading more, especially when you are already flooded, this will not serve you, or anyone else. Give yourself permission to breathe and take a break.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Checking on, and checking in<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Next, reach out to your coworkers. Empathy is contagious. Exposing your own anxieties, even absent any specific political outcome, could prove therapeutic. If a colleague seems withdrawn or you realize you haven\u2019t talked in a while, invite them for a walk, a coffee, or lunch. \u201cIf people seem to be isolating themselves in the workplace, that\u2019s a bad sign,\u201d Stallard says. \u201cReach out to them because they\u2019re in pain. If somebody cares, it gives them a life raft of hope.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shouldn\u2019t surprise anyone, but in-person conversation\u2014off Slack, off text, right in front of you\u2014is a genuinely healthy use of your mind. Literally. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt engages the frontal lobes of the brain and it quiets the amygdala and limbic system. It engages the part of their brain where they\u2019re more likely to make good decisions,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Hartsock recalls of the Kavanaugh confirmation battle, \u201cwe managed to create a safe environment where employees felt camaraderie and comfort by sticking to our core value [of] \u2018take care of each other.\u2019\u201d For touchy subjects, make the extra effort to speak in real life, rather than using Slack or Facebook. \u201cP<\/span>eople are more tolerant and composed when speaking to a colleague or coworker face to face,\u201d Hartsock says. \u201cIn general, employers don\u2019t give employees enough credit. Most people are mature in the workplace and handle these conversations with respect and tolerance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also helpful? Having a confidante. Make speaking with them a regular practice. \u201cA daily debrief is healthy for our mental and emotional health,\u201d Stallard says, citing research on the power of empathy. \u201cWhen you empathetically listen to the other person and hear what they\u2019re grateful for and can attune to their positive emotion, it enhances their positive emotion. When you attune to their negative emotion, it diminishes their pain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you don\u2019t share someone\u2019s political views, look for a point of commonality where you can hear their perspective. \u201c<\/span>Just seeing people’s emotion is validating, even if the only words that are exchanged are, \u2018I see you,\u2019 \u201d Harris says. \u201c<\/span>Once people feel validated, the tension is likely to subside, and you will have created an office culture of safety, where people feel encouraged to share and connect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sense and sensitivity  <\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the Kavanaugh hearings, women\u2019s #MeToo stories poured in via all forms of media\u2014Facebook, newspapers, TV, even elevator screens. People were, <\/span>en masse<\/em>, <\/span><\/i>sharing decades-old traumatic experiences with colleagues, friends, and close family members, often for the first time. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a powerful reminder that the current political climate takes a larger toll on marginalized groups, whether women, assault survivors, people of color, or members of the LGBTQ+ community.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMarginalized groups are experiencing greater amounts of fear,\u201d Harris says. \u201cThe safety of the workplace will be greatly impacted by how political conversations are conducted. Are people allowed to share their own stories? Do people have the space to be heard? Are people\u2019s experiences believed?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reaching out to colleagues who may be in one of these groups can create an opening for connection, empathy, and a deeper relationship. It can be as simple as asking how they\u2019re finding room for self-care or saying you\u2019d like to support one another. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFocus on the individuals in the room rather than the politicians in these conversations. It\u2019s easier to have empathy when faced with someone\u2019s lived experience, rather than their disdain for a politician,\u201d Harris says.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In that sense, as fraught as this time may be, it also represents an opportunity to build stronger working teams and better mental health for everyone. It\u2019s key to remember that you can do this even if you disagree with people\u2019s ideas, and you can do so without addressing those ideas, too. That\u2019s not some centrist caterwauling so much as the simple fact that expressing compassion isn\u2019t at all a political act. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s nothing more (and nothing less) than the kind we all benefit from: a personal one.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A high-stakes political election means high inner-office tensions\u2014here’s how to cope, keep calm, and thrive<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1692,"featured_media":30822,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43902,43909],"tags":[500,525],"class_list":["post-30819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-professional-development","category-management-leadership","tag-community","tag-personal-growth"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to handle workplace anxiety over midterm elections<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With a high-stakes election looming, inner-office tensions are about to run high. 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