Heart pounding, palms sweating, dreading being called on in a meeting — and convinced everyone’s about to realize you don’t know what you’re doing. Workplace imposter syndrome is exhausting, and it happens because your brain treats a stressful work environment the same way it would treat a physical threat. Telling yourself to “just relax” doesn’t work, because your nervous system needs a physical signal that you’re actually safe.

In this video, Rey NP, a dual-certified nurse practitioner, walks through two discreet, deskside tools you can use without a coworker noticing: an isometric muscle hold under the table that helps your body complete its natural stress response cycle, and an anchor object technique that pulls your mind out of a catastrophic thought spiral and back into the present moment.

Feeling anxious at work doesn’t mean you’re bad at your job — it usually means your nervous system is temporarily overwhelmed. These tools are meant to help you find your footing in the moment it happens.