Look after your wellbeing when starting a new job

Photo by Ricardo Baez on Unsplash

By Hannah Woolley, Careers Consultant

This insight is part of our career wellbeing series.

Starting a new job is exciting, but it can sometimes feel a little overwhelming.

You probably feel a bit nervous and there are a lot of unknowns which often means that you’re constantly guessing, processing, and trying to respond appropriately in the moment.

That’s why looking after your wellbeing during this transition is so important. Prioritising your mental and physical health can help you stay grounded, to think clearly and be more resilient. It allows you to bring your best self to work and be productive.

It's okay not to know everything right away, allow yourself time to learn and adjust. Remember that feeling uncertain is normal in any new role, because it’s all new to you. 

Start as you mean to go on

Laying a solid foundation for your wellbeing and happiness at the beginning of your working life will help you to develop good habits for the rest of your career. Here’s some ideas:

• Cover the basics. The wellbeing benefits of getting enough sleep, taking regular exercise, and eating a healthy diet are well documented, yet when under pressure we often let these things slide. Make a conscious effort to maintain these important aspects.

• Set small goals and reflect. To make your workload feel manageable, break things down into small, achievable tasks. This will provide focus and help you notice progress. It can be helpful at the end of each day to take a few minutes to reflect. What went well? What did you learn? Celebrate the wins, however small they may seem, and don’t dwell on mistakes as they’re part of your growth!

• Actively engage your support network. Think about who can support you over the next few weeks - who might make an excellent cheerleader, who can offer wisdom and calm, and who can be called upon for comic relief? Your nearest and dearest will want to help, so just ask.

• Manage your energy. How will you conserve energy to see you through each day? How will recharge for the next day? Different things work for different people but it’s worth giving this some thought so that you can keep going and feel positive.

Know that minor wobbles are normal

Even when things are going super well, occasionally, you may face ‘a dip’, a short period of time when thing feel less optimal. Perhaps you might feel a bit flat, down, or disinterested. If this happens don’t panic.

The first few weeks of any new job require a huge amount of energy. You’re getting used to a new routine, you’re constantly making sense of new information, you’ve met loads of new people, and all while maintaining a smiley happy demeanour. It’s tiring!

So, now is the time to pause, reflect, and recuperate. Take some time to acknowledge all that you've achieved and then allow yourself some downtime. Do something that you enjoy, practise being mindful, and surround yourself with people who care.

Hopefully this is a temporary blip, and you’ll be back on your 'A' game before long. That said, if you do continue to feel this way it might be a good idea to seek help.

Find your groove

After the first few weeks of your new job, you're likely to begin to feel more settled. However, it's wise to continue to be mindful of maintaining your wellbeing and keep up any positive approaches you put in place earlier on.

Knowing yourself and noticing your responses to challenging situations can be helpful. Perhaps when things feel tough you become more irritable, take things overly personally, abandon exercise or comfort eat. Spotting these early warning signs might give you an opportunity to be proactive and get back on track, whether that’s taking your lunch breaks, talking to friends, going for a run, or something else.

It's also worth checking out what your employer can offer. You may find that they provide wellbeing focused training and resources, sport and fitness opportunities, mentoring schemes, and counselling services.

Check out more advice and tips in our navigating the workplace section on our website whether you're starting a new graduate job or preparing for an internship or work placement.