Social Phobia at Work

[Shy_Gurl2007]

I have been working at my new receptionist job for a month. The job is fine for the most part. Answering the phone has gotten easier for me, as well as greeting clients. What I don't like is the meetings. I feel so uncomfortable around all these people that I don't know. Today was worse because I had to take minutes for the meeting. I was so anxious that I couldn't eat the lunch they provided to me. I probably came off as weird. It has been a while since I've taken notes, and I am worried that they will not be good enough for my boss. On Monday, my boss provided pizza for everyone in the building. I forced myself to go over there and try to socialize. I saw the full room of my co-workers, already sitting in their little groups, laughing and chatting. I quickly turned around and just ate lunch in my trainer's office. It seriously felt like high school again in the cafeteria. I'm worried that my limited socialization with my co-workers will affect my job. I am openly social with clients though.

 

[nicole1]

I know the feeling. Panic at work, but fine when you must greet someone. I am the same at work. I hate being around all the people. And I am forced to sit side by side with them. No privacy in a newsroom.
I've quit jobs for these reasons...but I can't quit this one.

 

[LazyHermitCrab]

Same.... there was a party at my work. My manager was all joyful and announced we are all going to take turns going to the break room! There's games, and lots of people down there, enjoy! I wanted to laugh at this. First off there were no games just socializing with people i knew and didn't talk to and people i didn't know and didn't talk too. I didn't want to take a break, but leave work early -.-' Hope it gets better for you....!

 

[Richey]

i find most meetings to be completely unnatural, you always have 1-2 driving the meeting, usually by people who have a sales or marketing background and are great at talking and using the business language and you have the few who just want to dominate the proceedings, so it never feels like a process of just sharing ideas without any of the bull****, i've only ever had one meeting that felt down to earth where we shared ideas because it didn't feel like a cliched meeting, it just felt like a bunch of people with no agenda or ego chatting around a table, as meetings should be, without any really intimidating characters.

most meetings i'm really quiet which isn't appreciated by my peers but i just feel really uneasy most of the time and i suppose i'm often so caught up in the actual work to be preparing for all these random meetings, maybe i'm just not geeky enough to have that many ideas, brought up by other people at work who book these meetings which is really them trying to organise new supposedly innovative systems, i don't know.

 

[bigcat1967]

What I don't like is the meetings.

I know how you are feeling. You might want to visualize yourself being very confident and relaxed meeting people (before going to work). Do this daily - it should get better for you.

 

[SPV]

I'd just like to give you kudos for the fact that you've mustered up the courage to speak and deal with strangers on the phone. Phone jobs are just so not my kind of thing, I'd seriously panic like hell. But anyway, regarding your meetings, yes I know how tough this seems to you, I would've wimped out as well. Think of it this way, those meetings won't last long, and you'd probably not even socialize with the people there afterwards, so whatever impression you give them shouldn't matter to you. You don't even have to be talkative, just be there to listen. You may not know this but people tend to be more accepting of the fact that there are people who are not the talkative type. and they don't make a big deal out of it. Just act normal.

Good luck