This week marks my first full week at a new position in a client-facing Web eCommerce company that is different from previous work environments. Work philosophy, company culture, and values certainly dictate the demands of the job – and your ability to succeed long-term in the position. Granted, three days in, my direct supervisor looked me straight in the eye and told me she was taking the “training wheels off” and letting go of my hand. Panic had set in as I realized my work would directly affect clients and their long-term conversation rates. It didn’t take very long to realize that I would have to pay my dues from the bottom up. But with a few steps, I believe any new employee will be able to handle their first week (and second and third):

1. Understand the culture. Check out what people wear, how they talk, what they eat, what they watch while they eat. It’ll definitely ease your entry into the company. But more than anything, be open-minded; no one is averse to a friendly attitude and smile. Read Harvard Business Review’s take on headphones – and how it can create isolation here.

2. Ask as much questions as possible. There is such a thing as a dumb question. However, there is no such thing as asking too many questions. Sitting through an exhaustive amount of meetings led by department heads in my first week, I found it to be a real icebreaker and educational tool for me to be interested and ask inquisitive questions about the department and how it affected me. Don’t be afraid to ask about things as granular as their ROI or how a department manages unhappy clients – or how you can help. Note: After understanding who does what, leveraging talent and unique gifts, collaboration with various work colleagues is a fortuitous step in the right direction – check out what Harvard Business Review had to say here.

3. Learn the work process. Whether it’s through shadowing, notating in a trusty notebook, keeping notes on an excel spreadsheet, memorize and devote yourself to the in’s and out’s of the work process. Of course, the best way to learn the process is getting in there and getting your hands dirty.

4. Make a few close friends. Having a friendly face you can share your work life with – not to mention, lunch – can really take the edge off a long day and break the monotony. In fact, being able to ping a coworker about life, step out for coffee, celebrate wins, make fun of each other, or just get a breather can really improve the quality of your work life. After all, work is where you spend half your waking hours; might as well enjoy the company.

5. Start your morning right with meditation. Next to coffee and breakfast, this is pretty darn important. Arriving early to work, beating gnarly traffic while you’re at it, to sneak in quality quiet time has turned out to be the best part of my work day. Like the calm before a storm, the half-hour before coworkers trickle in can be an opportune time to close your eyes, get energized, de-stress, reflect and collect thoughts, gather yesterday’s notes, lift a prayer, and ask for peace and tranquility to handle the day’s hurdles. At least it’s proven monumental for me in my first week at a high-pressure, stress-ramped job that is located anywhere from 50 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes away.

6. Don’t be overwhelmed – breathe. The first week is essentially an unloading of information – practically the entire groundwork of all the work flows, systems, and best practices required to execute your job successfully. Last week, I had two teary panic attacks after work, taking on two classes (one of which I dropped), too much pressure, too many demands, and realized that being emotionally distraught and helpless wasn’t going to benefit me, my coworkers, or my family/friends. So I decided to take a step back and see that the first week is not an accurate representation of how my work experience will really be. I decided to breathe, make phone calls, talk it out, and before I knew it, I saw that this job was feasible and not at all impossible. It gets better, more routine, and you develop a rhythm.