This week was my first week at a new job. New coworkers, new environment, and new responsibilities. Except not completely, because I’ve worked here before. After two years at a new location as a customer service manager, I have decided to go back to my old store as a department manager. To me, this meant a pay raise, a set schedule, and a chance to work with some of my dear old friends. In reality, it’s been a stressed filled, anxiety infused cluster-fuck of confusion a little to no learning. Now, the important thing to remember is that it is only my first week. So there are obviously going to be a lot of things that aren’t what I thought. That’s the nature of experiencing something new.

As a result, my anxiety has been through the roof. The unfamiliarity of the situation has led to some intense moments of regret and nerves. In order to calm these, I have come up with a few ways to relax and maintain my sanity.

I make lists.

From pros and cons to shopping lists, sitting down and concentrating on something I can control and have a valid opinion on makes me feel like my life isn’t as all over the place as it really is. It’s turned out to be a great coping mechanism.

I set schedules.

One of the lists I made was a list of things I’d like to accomplish. So I took the top three things from that list and made a schedule to complete those goals in a timely manner. This was a great way to remind myself that while I was doing something that was good for myself monetarily, I needed to remember to also do things for my soul. Setting aside time to accomplish goals in my personal life makes me feel like I’m not forgetting to meet my own needs, rather than just those of a corporation.

I take deep breaths.

I know how it sounds. Silly and cliché, right? Well, honestly it’s the simplest and most forgotten part of calming the frick down. Take a deep breath or two or five or as many as it takes to slow your heart rate and let your brain operate in a productive manner.

I call someone.

A quick call from someone who knows me well enough to know what I need is usually all it takes. For me, however, this is a temporary fix. Within a few hours, I am usually a basket case again. This is when I refer back to 1 and 2.

I cry.

For some people, this is a hugely negative thing, but I look forward to a good cry. I don’t plan them out, but I can typically tell when they are coming. For me, it’s a great way to release everything I’ve built up. If someone I trust is there to listen or hold my hand, it’s even better.

The main thing to remember when working in a temporary job is that it’s just that: temporary. The main thing to remember when working in an overwhelming career is that it isn’t all you have. No matter what, it is most important to remember a work-life balance. There are things in the workplace that you can’t and shouldn’t take with you. So, next time you leave your place of employment, take a deep breath and drop it at the door, because you can trust me when I say that losing your mind when your roommate asks “are you okay” just really isn’t worth it.