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Man explains why seeing his manager online triggered instant anxiety: ‘I would go into hyper-alert mode’
A man shared how his manager’s online status triggered workplace anxiety and how he overcame it.
A man has opened up about a form of workplace anxiety that many corporate employees may find familiar - the sudden nervousness that sets in when their manager appears online.
(Also read: 'At 5 pm, your manager leaves before you': Indian man explains why Canada's work culture stands out)
Taking to Instagram, Avik Roy shared a video describing how seeing his manager’s Teams status turn green would immediately push him into a “hyper-alert mode”. He also spoke about the steps that helped him stop associating his manager’s online presence with criticism, questioning or constant monitoring.
‘I would go into a hyper-alert mode’
“Another workplace anxiety that's more common than you think. It starts the moment your manager logs in. Yes. Do you ever see your manager's, you know, Team status turning green and suddenly you stop feeling relaxed?” Roy said in the video.
Recalling the early years of his corporate career, he explained that he would instantly assume that he was about to be flooded with messages.
“The moment my manager used to log in, I would go in a hyper-alert mode. I would immediately think that, oh, no! My manager has come online now. The messages are I'm going to be get bombarded with messages. I need to start replying instantly,” he said.
Roy added that the anxiety became so intense that he would even feel guilty about stepping away from his desk for a cup of coffee. He later realised that he had convinced himself that his manager’s presence meant he was about to be “questioned or judged”.
Three changes that helped him
Roy said he began overcoming the fear by making three important changes. First, he stopped measuring his professional value by how quickly he responded to messages and instead focused on “the outcomes and qualities” he delivered.
Second, he began sending proactive updates before his manager had to ask for them. According to him, this helped build trust and reduced unnecessary follow-ups.
His third piece of advice was to avoid assuming that managers are constantly monitoring employees. “Sometimes, what happens, we create that fear in our own minds,” he said.
Roy also encouraged employees to speak openly with their managers if the anxiety continues. “Good leaders will coach you, build trust, and not judge you,” he added.
(Also read: Employee resigns after manager asks him to work beyond office hours: ‘They expect me to work like a robot’)
Concluding the video, he said, “Your mind is a powerful storyteller. Don't let it, you know, let your mind write a story that does not even exist.”
The clip was shared with the caption: “Sometimes the biggest pressure at work isn’t your manager. It’s the story your mind keeps telling you.”
Watch the clip here:
Social media users relate
The post received several relatable reactions. One user wrote, “Yes, I agree with you,” while another commented, “This is so true.”
“Absolutely, I agree with you on this,” said a third user. Another person echoed the sentiment and wrote, “Yes, I feel the same way.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
