I have a theory. My theory is people will go crazy if their eyes don’t have anything far away to look at for large amounts of time. I don’t claim to know how this works.
Maybe this is because your eyes need to focus on something far away every now and then. Maybe this explains cabin fever. I was able to test this theory during my 2 week quarantine in Taiwan. The only thing keeping me sane was the windows.
People with career anxiety should treat it the same. Look into the distance. Gaze at those further down the path and imagine where you might end up. The grind can be anxiety inducing if you feel stuck in your small room.
This is why we need to be able to see big skylines and parks and ocean views from our rooms. This is why we like paintings of landscapes and far away perspectives to gaze at.
And this is why we get depressed if we have no windows a window looking at a brick wall. I certainly did when I lived in Brooklyn. I personally found I am now much calmer with windows and nice views around my office, home, and even my bed.
People need to see progression and a direct line of site to their future. It doesn’t have to be financial goals, it could just be more time spent with someone.
And if you don’t have a nice view, you can always just go outside when you can. Many people go for walks outside or in nature to calm them down. You can always take weekends and frequent breaks from your work to have fun or work on your hobbies.
The distance is calming.