How do I stop worrying about making a mistake at work?
Christopher Davis
Updated on April 03, 2026
Here’s your seven-step recovery plan.
- Step 1: Allow Yourself to Feel Awful About it (But Not for Too Long)
- Step 2: Keep Things in Perspective.
- Step 3: Confront Your Worst-Case Scenario—Then Let it Go.
- Step 4: Apologize if You Need to—But Don’t Overdo It.
- Step 5: Create a Game Plan for Next Time.
Can anxiety cause you to make mistakes at work?
Workplace anxiety is not just a little fatigue and headache. It is something that can be a hindrance in your career. Workplace anxiety can, for starters, cause you to make many mistakes. 55% of employees claim that anxiety causes them to miss various deadlines they would have achieved otherwise.
Why do I get so anxious when I make a mistake?
Atelophobia is often referred to as perfectionism. And while it is considered extreme perfectionism, Dr. Gail Saltz, associate professor of psychiatry at the New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell Medical College says more than that, it is a true irrational fear of making any mistake.
Can’t stop thinking about a mistake I made?
The good news is that there are effective solutions for breaking yourself out of this rut, and they’re simpler than you might think.
- Identify your most common triggers.
- Get psychological distance.
- Distinguish between ruminating and problem solving.
- Train your brain to become non-stick.
- Check your thinking for errors.
Do we all make mistakes at work?
Remember, everyone makes mistakes, and as awful as it feels when it happens, you will recover and your co-workers will move on. In fact, if handled right, a mistake can do more to impress those around you than to tarnish their view of your work.
Is making mistakes at work normal?
Yes, it is normal to make a mistake at work. In fact, feeling ashamed after making an error shows that you care about your job. Your employer knows that too. You just need to make your amends properly.
What is Pistanthrophobia?
Pistanthrophobia is a phobia of getting hurt by someone in a romantic relationship. A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder that presents as persistent, irrational, and excessive fear about a person, activity, situation, animal, or object.
How to stop worrying about making a mistake?
When mistakes happen, remember these things in order to stop worrying about the mistakes: The mistakes have already happened. They’re in the past, and there’s no going back. Look forward and forge ahead. Rather than worrying about the mistake, actively plan ways to recover from it.
Is it okay to make a mistake at work?
The biggest thing we must do is remember that we are human, we will make mistakes (yes, even big ones), and that’s okay. We can still be good, valuable people, employees, leaders, friends, spouses, and parents.
Why do I freak out when I make a mistake?
Usually it’s just because I forgot something, or because a decision that I made with good intentions turned out not to be the right one. I am a dedicated worker, with good intentions, and I think other people see this in me, but when a mistake happens I freak out and I can’t keep things in perspective.
What happens to your mind when you make a mistake?
But sometimes, your mind exaggerates and distorts the potential consequences for your mistake, sending you into a state of agony and stressing you out, which, ironically, can cause you to make more errors in the future.