Extreme Fear to Work?

[Quiet Angel]

I currently have a job, at a Pizza place, and every single day I experience intense fear about making mistakes and having my co-workers & boss angry with me. I often feel timid around the customers but make an effort to smile & be as sociable as I can. I believe this is partially due to my social phobia, but also due to my previous experience:

I worked at a Family Restaurant for a very short time & prepared food in the back. Because I felt extremely anxious about my performance, I made numerous mistakes and my boss was very insulting afterword. He said, "You believe you actually did an "okay" job today? You must be joking. You're just like a race horse with a blindfold on because you can't manage to stay on task." and then he asked me if I had any other problems, and I said I couldn't identify the difference between the cheese cake pie and the banana cream. He said, "They're two entirely different colors, are you color blind? have you been tested to see if you're color blind?" When I said no, he said, "Let me give you a test then." He took out the sugar packets on the table and asked, "What color is this? What color is this?" I actually cried in front of him and then I quit. ::

Everything at my current job is going so-so, but my fear hasn't subsided. I've made only minor mistakes and a huge one at the cash register. Do you guys have any advice about how I can calm myself down and feel more confident?

 

[Noca]

Ive quit 15 jobs so far in my life either due to anxiety or pain.

 

[HH]

this guy sounds like a complete asshole, if I were you I would try and forget that nasty past experience (hard I know but what a shit head he is). Maybe find a job that's completely different and has nothing to do with working with food, this might make you feel less anxious.

 

[zlench]

I have a job in a restruant at the moment not quite sure how long I will last in it because I feel that I'm just not good enough. I tend to make a lot of mistakes when the bosses are watching me and I know that there just waiting for me to make mistake. I find the best way to calm yourself down is probably to believe in yourself and try not to panic and just take it slowly.

 

[Quiet Angel]

Thanks for the support so far, guys. I really appreciate it.

 

[izzymarie]

I'm afraid to work.. I don't want a job at all but my friend pretty much forced me to apply for jobs with her this weekend ::. Reading about your experience at your last job makes me even more afraid, however I think you just got really unlucky getting stuck with that horrible excuse of a human being you call a boss . The fact that you've been doing okay so far with the job your at now is a good sign. I think that the longer you work there, the more confident you will become.

 

[FountainandFairfax]

That guy was just a miserable asshole, I'm sure he's like that with everyone in his life... as long as they will tolerate him, that is.

The thing I'd try to remember, as far as being nervous around customers, is that most people are so wrapped-up in their own little world that they pay little to no attention to everyone else. And that goes double for servers or cashiers.

They don't even really see you when they're being waited on. You're just a means to an end, a mechanism to get what they want, like a parking meter. They won't even recall what color your hair was or whether or not you wore glasses five minutes after they've left the store.

 

[Kinetik]

Great post, Fairfax. Totally agree.

And Angel, I know what you mean. As in your case, for me the fear is purely in the social interaction with regards to jobs. I mean, I'm not lazy; put me to work (individually and alone) at something for 8 hours a day and I'll do it solidly, religiously. But give me a job interview or some occupation where I'm dealing with people in any form or way and it's just a nightmare. I can't stand scrutiny, small talk, or congeniality.

 

[dreamdoll]

it is like the hunter and the chase
the boss knows how timid and insecure and miserable you re
use self affirmations,beleive in yourself and your abilities
if you re not happy in a restaurant then dont
work voluntarily for some time,your work d be appreciated and and your labour wouldnt be wasted
i used to work iat animal shelters.animals dont judge you.instead they love you and need you
find a job where you re needed

 

[slapstick]

I had a few jobs in my time and never lasted.. I am now in a long term job and am lucky to have found one that has very few people around at a time. I too felt intense pressure and discomfort whenever my boss or manager were around. I found that I deal with it best by just not trying to impress them, I would do things as if I were by myself doing the task required. What I mean is if you do a task thinking thats how they want it seen done or performed you will only end up stuffing up. I performed well when in this mindframe only caues I was being myself, doing tasks as I would do them not how I thought they wanted it done. Its Cliche but just relax be yourself, I know there's a confident person in you..

Hope this helps....Take care Bye.