'Loud Layoffs' Are Destroying Your Mental Health — Use These Mindset Hacks to Protect Your Peace Don't let your biggest fears become your new reality.

Many new terms have entered the workplace lexicon in recent months, with "quiet" in particular capturing the sentiment of various trends across hiring, firing, promoting and more.

But things are getting louder now — namely, layoffs.

"Loud layoffs are just that, loud," Kathryn Janicek, an Emmy-winning media and public speaking trainer for Fortune 500 companies, tells Entrepreneur. "These layoffs, or reduction in force (RIFs) announcements, are given publicly with little to no direct communication to the affected employees."

We've been inundated with the headlines — massive cuts at Big Tech companies including Google, Microsoft and Amazon — with no clear end in sight.

Related: These Are the 2 Key Reasons Apple Has Avoided Mass Layoffs — So Far

Anxiety around loud layoffs "manifests emotionally and physically"

According to Janicek, the chaos has brought a sense of uncertainty that's having a direct impact on the economy: Full-time employment isn't considered the secure income source it once was, and "already dwindling" loyalties between employees and their companies (and vice versa) are even more tenuous.

On a personal level, loud layoffs are also harming our mental and physical health.

Janicek says anxiety around loud layoffs "manifests emotionally and physically." You might feel the urge to control the little things you can, have a short temper with loved ones and experience "anger, sadness, despair, uncertainty, rebellion and overall fear."

Physical symptoms might include "muscle tension, insomnia, sickness, panic attacks, heightened heart rate or blood pressure, inflammation and inability to focus," Janicek adds.

Additionally, people often turn to unhealthy behaviors to "numb" the pain, Janicek notes. "The rates of excessive drinking are up, and more and more clients of mine are talking about their mental health and how it's affecting not only their work but their personal lives," she says.

If left unchecked, this anxiety can result in a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy.

"If you let yourself get scared by a potential situation and you start to mentally shut down, it can affect how you show up at work and are perceived by your employer," Janicek explains. "The sad truth is that you could end up losing your job even if you weren't a part of the layoff plan to begin with."

Related: 5 Simple Ways to Do More for Your Employees' Mental Health This Week

These mindset hacks can help you avoid being added to the next round of layoffs

So what can we do to protect our mental and physical health and avoid being a victim of a mass layoff?

Janicek says self-care is key.

Here are her tips for shifting your mindset to a more positive place:

Start small

"Small hinges swing big doors," Janicek says. "If you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, celebrate the days you do and give yourself grace on the mornings you don't. It's okay not to feel okay all the time, and it's important to feel the feelings that come up."

Observe your thoughts

"That voice inside your head telling you that you aren't good enough isn't your truth," Janicek says. "It doesn't define you. It's fear. The easiest way to dismantle those thought patterns is to become aware of them. Become separate from that voice and observe it as a third party. You would never let anyone talk to you like that, so why are you letting yourself talk to you like that?"

Janicek suggests trying this exercise to change the narrative: "When you notice those thoughts, imagine the microphone being unplugged and the amplification of the voice being silenced. Then replace that thought with the opposite. Repeat the positive thought out loud and become aware of how your body responds. The more you become aware and are able to shift, the easier it becomes."

Related: Positive Thinking Will Change Your Life and Business

Move

"You need to move to shift your energy," Janicek explains. "Go on a long hike, work out, take a spin class — do something. I've told clients to take a quick weekend trip. Change your location. This helps distract you and get your mind in a place of creativity instead of overwhelm."

See your real friends

"Community is key," Janicek says. "There are recent studies that show we're not making time to be with our friends. We need community to feel fulfilled, grounded and whole. Reach out to your friends. Grab a coffee. Book a lunch."

Try visualizing your life through the lens of possibility rather than the lens of overwhelm

"Take the current outlook for today, the next week, the next year and clear any expectations you had or have," Janicek says. "Start with a clean slate and play with the what-ifs. What if I get laid off? What's the worst thing that could happen? What's the best thing that could happen? What doors will that open that maybe I'm not considering? When we let go of trying to control things we can't control and open ourselves up to opportunity, we become co-creators with life instead of reactors to circumstance."

Update your digital brand

"Get a new headshot," Janicek recommends. "Make sure your experience and expertise are updated. Keep your mind on positive moves instead of spiraling into overwhelm."

Related: Why Your Personal Digital Brand Is Vital to Success

Create a mantra

"Say it out loud over and over for at least one minute a day in front of the mirror," Janicek suggests. "The morning is best for this."

Here are some examples:

• Life is happening for me, not to me.
• I love you.
• I am grateful for...
• Opportunities are here for me.

Integrate one feel-good practice at a time

"Don't try to start going to the gym, committing to three yoga classes a week, journaling and meditating all at one time," Janicek cautions. "Pick one thing for an hour a day that leaves you feeling good afterward and stick to that for a couple of weeks. Once that becomes integrated into your routine, consider adding another."

Related: 4 Ways to Create a Powerful Morning Routine