7 Tips for Coping With Anxiety in Work Meetings

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPracticeReframeGet There EarlyAvoid AvoidanceKnow Your StrengthsPrepareUse Visuals

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Practice

Reframe

Get There Early

Avoid Avoidance

Know Your Strengths

Prepare

Use Visuals

Close

Work meetings can be a source of boredom, dread, stress, and, for some people, anxiety. If you havesocial anxiety disorder (SAD), anxiety in meetings can be an even bigger problem.Perhaps you have missed out on promotion opportunities because you didn’t speak up in meetings like your colleagues. Or maybe you have avoided promotions completely because they would mean that you would have to attend MORE meetings.

While it’s hard to embrace the idea of going to more work meetings (trust us, we know!), avoiding them because of anxiety can hurt you, both professionally and personally. Missing out on work opportunities means you won’t get the recognition, advances, and benefits that you deserve. Yourself-esteemandconfidencecan also suffer.

The good news is that there are coping strategies that you can use to help alleviate socialanxiety in meetings at work, both in person and virtual. These are most useful if your anxiety is not severe or you are already in treatment for SAD.

At a Glance

Practice Can Help Reduce Anxiety in Work Meetings

If you are required to present during meetings, or simply wish to improve your skills at speaking to a group, there is no substitute for regular practice. Consider joining a group likeToastmasters. The organization will help you improve your ability to make introductions, to think on your feet, and to talk informally to a group. During the first few sessions, you are free to observe and decide whether you want to participate.

If Toastmasters isn’t an option for you, you can still brush up on your communication skills on your own. Make a point of telling a story in front of friends orasking a question of every guestat the next gathering you attend. View every social encounter as a chance to practice and become better at communicating.

How to Manage Public Speaking Anxiety

Reframe the Situation to Minimize Anxiety

Cognitive reframing(also calledcognitive restructuring) is a technique you can use to change your perspective on a situation or experience.In this case, it might mean working to look at pre-meeting nerves as common and manageable. Try to see them as a positive: You care about your work and your colleagues and you can channel this caring and energy into your performance.

You can also use reframing after a meeting if you are struggling with regrets or worries. One study showed that it is effective at helping people with social anxiety manage post-event processing.If you are working with atherapist to treat SAD, discuss this technique with them.

You can also try other stress-management techniques prior to a meeting, such asbreathing exercises, a few yoga stretches, or a five- to 10-minute walk.If anxiety flares up during a meeting, be ready with a few stress-relief tactics that you can use on the spot. These might includedeep breathingorprogressive relaxation.

You can also try other stress-management techniques prior to a meeting, such asbreathing exercises, a few yoga stretches, or a five- to 10-minute walk.

If anxiety flares up during a meeting, be ready with a few stress-relief tactics that you can use on the spot. These might includedeep breathingorprogressive relaxation.

Arrive to Meetings Early

Being early for a meeting allows you to start out with a smaller group of people, which makes it easier to greet them informally. When you arrive early, you won’t worry about being late. You can also use this time to check out or set up any equipment you might be using for the meeting, such as a projector.

You can also try to arrive a few minutes early for video conferencing meetings. This can give you time to chat with others and get more relaxed before other attendees sign in.

Manage Avoidance Behaviors During Work Meetings

Although preparation is important (see below), being over-prepared is asubtle type of avoidance.

It is just as important to trust yourself to be able to respond spontaneously to questions and discuss issues that aren’t pre-planned. Realize that in these situations,it is OK to say that you are unsureabout something and that you will look into it.

Otheravoidance behaviorsmight include not looking anyone in the eye, covering your mouth when you talk, or simply avoiding speaking at all in a meeting. If you find yourself engaging in avoidance behaviors, give yourself permission to feel some anxiety in meetings.Realize it’s not the end of the world if others notice you are nervous, and eventually you will feel more comfortable.

Social anxiety in meetings can make it harder to let your strengths shine. You might not be the most outgoing speaker, but that doesn’t mean you can’t gradually improve your speaking skills. Polishing up your public speaking abilities can help you come across as professional and poised—even when you’re nervous.

Work meetings aren’t just about speaking, though. Being a good listener is also a valuable skill in meetings. So, use your listening skills to your advantage! If you listen to what others say and choose your words carefully, they will admire your wisdom and patience.

How to Be an Active Listener

Preparation Can Take the Anxiety Out of Work Meetings

A reasonable amount of preparation will leave you feeling confident. Over-preparing or under-preparing may leave you feeling even more anxious—particularly because these are often a reflection of your anxiety.

To help you feel ready for a meeting, anticipate and research issues beforehand so that you are up to speed. Wear clothing that is comfortable and professional, and that makes you feel good.

Talk on the phone with a friend or family member who makes you feel relaxed before a meeting, and then carry that feeling with you into the meeting.

If you are participating in a virtual meeting, download any software you will need to access the meeting in advance. Find and set up a space to join from—a room that is quiet and well-lit, with a neutral background, is best.

How to Cope With Zoom Fatigue

Take the Pressure Off With Visuals

Visuals are great tools for getting a message across and fordrawing attention away from yourself. If you are speaking to the group, use some sort of visual medium as part of your presentation. This will enhance the message you are trying to communicate—and it will take the pressure off of you beingalone in the spotlight.

This is a great strategy for virtual meetings as well. If you will be presenting, put together a few slides and share your screen when you’re talking. Then you can reduce the time you’re on camera.

Pro Tip: You can also hide or minimize the window that shows your view of yourself, which can be distracting to look at.

Takeaways

Most of us don’t exactly look forward to work meetings, and they can be stressful at times. But if they are causing you serious anxiety that’s affecting your well-being and ability to succeed professional, it’s important to find ways to cope. If your symptoms are on the mild side, you can probably get away with using the tips here to ease your worries.

If you have severe social anxiety, there is no substitute for treatment such asmedicationorcognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).In combination with the tips above, you should be well on your way to successfully managing social anxiety in meetings at work.

An Overview of Work Anxiety

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Curtiss JE, Levine DS, Ander I, Baker AW.Cognitive-behavioral treatments for anxiety and stress-related disorders.Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2021;19(2):184-189. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20200045Shikatani B, Antony MM, Kuo JR, Cassin SE.The impact of cognitive restructuring and mindfulness strategies on postevent processing and affect in social anxiety disorder.J Anxiety Disord. 2014;28(6):570-579. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.05.012Rudaz M, Ledermann T, Margraf J, Becker ES, Craske MG.The moderating role of avoidance behavior on anxiety over time: Is there a difference between social anxiety disorder and specific phobia?.PLoS One. 2017;12(7):e0180298. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180298Canton J, Scott KM, Glue P.Optimal treatment of social phobia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2012;8:203-215. doi:10.2147/NDT.S23317Additional ReadingCarducci BJ.Shyness: A Bold New Approach. Harper Collins.Henkel SL, Lujanac M.Successful Meetings: How to Plan, Prepare, and Execute Top-Notch Business Meetings. Atlantic Publishing.Stein MB, Walker JR.Triumph Over Shyness: Conquering Shyness and Social Anxiety.McGraw-Hill.

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Curtiss JE, Levine DS, Ander I, Baker AW.Cognitive-behavioral treatments for anxiety and stress-related disorders.Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2021;19(2):184-189. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20200045Shikatani B, Antony MM, Kuo JR, Cassin SE.The impact of cognitive restructuring and mindfulness strategies on postevent processing and affect in social anxiety disorder.J Anxiety Disord. 2014;28(6):570-579. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.05.012Rudaz M, Ledermann T, Margraf J, Becker ES, Craske MG.The moderating role of avoidance behavior on anxiety over time: Is there a difference between social anxiety disorder and specific phobia?.PLoS One. 2017;12(7):e0180298. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180298Canton J, Scott KM, Glue P.Optimal treatment of social phobia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2012;8:203-215. doi:10.2147/NDT.S23317Additional ReadingCarducci BJ.Shyness: A Bold New Approach. Harper Collins.Henkel SL, Lujanac M.Successful Meetings: How to Plan, Prepare, and Execute Top-Notch Business Meetings. Atlantic Publishing.Stein MB, Walker JR.Triumph Over Shyness: Conquering Shyness and Social Anxiety.McGraw-Hill.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Curtiss JE, Levine DS, Ander I, Baker AW.Cognitive-behavioral treatments for anxiety and stress-related disorders.Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2021;19(2):184-189. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20200045Shikatani B, Antony MM, Kuo JR, Cassin SE.The impact of cognitive restructuring and mindfulness strategies on postevent processing and affect in social anxiety disorder.J Anxiety Disord. 2014;28(6):570-579. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.05.012Rudaz M, Ledermann T, Margraf J, Becker ES, Craske MG.The moderating role of avoidance behavior on anxiety over time: Is there a difference between social anxiety disorder and specific phobia?.PLoS One. 2017;12(7):e0180298. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180298Canton J, Scott KM, Glue P.Optimal treatment of social phobia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2012;8:203-215. doi:10.2147/NDT.S23317

American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.

Curtiss JE, Levine DS, Ander I, Baker AW.Cognitive-behavioral treatments for anxiety and stress-related disorders.Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2021;19(2):184-189. doi:10.1176/appi.focus.20200045

Shikatani B, Antony MM, Kuo JR, Cassin SE.The impact of cognitive restructuring and mindfulness strategies on postevent processing and affect in social anxiety disorder.J Anxiety Disord. 2014;28(6):570-579. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.05.012

Rudaz M, Ledermann T, Margraf J, Becker ES, Craske MG.The moderating role of avoidance behavior on anxiety over time: Is there a difference between social anxiety disorder and specific phobia?.PLoS One. 2017;12(7):e0180298. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0180298

Canton J, Scott KM, Glue P.Optimal treatment of social phobia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2012;8:203-215. doi:10.2147/NDT.S23317

Carducci BJ.Shyness: A Bold New Approach. Harper Collins.Henkel SL, Lujanac M.Successful Meetings: How to Plan, Prepare, and Execute Top-Notch Business Meetings. Atlantic Publishing.Stein MB, Walker JR.Triumph Over Shyness: Conquering Shyness and Social Anxiety.McGraw-Hill.

Carducci BJ.Shyness: A Bold New Approach. Harper Collins.

Henkel SL, Lujanac M.Successful Meetings: How to Plan, Prepare, and Execute Top-Notch Business Meetings. Atlantic Publishing.

Stein MB, Walker JR.Triumph Over Shyness: Conquering Shyness and Social Anxiety.McGraw-Hill.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?