Title: 
The First Day Is Always The Hardest

Word Count:
569

Summary:
The first day on the new job is always a tough experience, because you have somuch to get used to and learn. However, you have to learn to adjust to the new environment and adapt to it.


Keywords:
anxiety, fear and anxiety


Article Body:
You probably know the feeling by now. Your hands are clammy and you can't quite figure out why you're unable to stop them from shaking. You're not the least bit cold, but you feel like you should be wearing winter gear. You're terrified of that shadow that seems to constantly loom over your shoulder. You feel anxiety at what you're doing, even though you're well aware of your qualifications and you know you can do the job better than anyone else on the production floor. You know this is something well within the scope of your skills, but you can't help but be terrified of the prospect of your shift starting. After all, the first day is always the hardest.

The first day on a new job is always going to be a source of anxiety for an employee. There are the co-workers you have to get to know and adjust to. There are the rules and regulations of the company that you have to know, along with the unwritten conventions among the employees. In some cases, you might feel anxiety because of the intimidating nature of that supervisor who doesn't seem to do anything but walk around the office and look over his employees' shoulders.

Feeling anxiety during the first day of a new job is perfectly understandable. There are things that you have to adjust to and things you have to learn. The anxiety sets in because the workplace and the nature of the job are both unfamiliar territory. You're also not entirely sure how well you're going to mesh with your co-workers and your direct supervisors, which can ultimately have an effect on how well you do your job.

However, the trick here is not to let that anxiety sink in so much that you can't let it go. It is perfectly understandable to spend a few days, maybe even a month for some people, to get acclimatized to how things work in your new office. Of course, the nature of the job often defines how fast a new worker can adjust. Even if you move to a job that basically the same thing as your old one, you'd still need to learn about procedures in the new company. You'd have to study the way things are done and get a feel for the various specifics of the job. To give an example, selling cars is a completely different compared to selling insurance.

Aside from the mechanics of the job, you also have to get used to how the interpersonal relationships in the office work. Every office has employees that form groups and cliques. You'll have to learn to get along with your co-workers while you're at the work place, as well as find a clique where you can fit in well. You also have to learn with the office politics, which can have an effect on your personal relationships with your co-workers even if you don't participate in it. You also have to learn how to handle co-workers that you don't get along with, without causing unwanted conflict.


The first day is always the hardest regardless of the place or type of job you have. There are so many things you have to adjust to and so many things to learn. However, despite whatever fear and anxiety you might have during that first day, you can always find ways to overcome the “first day jitters.”


