I already know the main factors that cause me to have anxiety are feeling overwhelmed and feeling like things are not in my control. The way I combat those is by getting on top of things. However, anxiety looks different for everyone and can be caused by a variety of factors. Often times anxiety can be caused by several small stressful events, a single large event, or a variety of other scenarios. Since anxiety is caused in various ways for different people, it’s also treated in many different ways. That being said, I’ve learned over time that there are a few things I’ve done to feel on top of things that have proven most helpful, and I wanted to share them. They may not work for everyone, but they sure do work for me!
- Get organized
I’ve already shared on my blog multiple times about how being organized is monumental in my life. I honestly cannot stress this idea enough. It sounds so simple, but if you try it you’ll see for yourself that it truly works. Organize your home, your schedule, your thoughts, etc. Being organized definitely helps me feel on top of things like nothing else can.
- Set expectations
This goes multiple ways. It’s important to set expectations with yourself and with others. It took me a long time to realize how necessary it is to set expectations of myself, for myself and for others. When setting goals it’s important to know what you can handle. This relieves the stress of setting goals too high and not achieving them. It’s also important to tell others what they can expect from you so you don’t feel the need to over perform. Lastly, setting expectations of what others can do to help you. I have found it so helpful to tell others what I need of them to get help with my anxiety in my life.
- Practice self care
Self care is easy to overlook when you’re constantly focusing on work, school, family, friends, religion and so much more. There are many aspects of life that need to be focused on, and self care is often left for the end of the day if you have a spare 10 minutes after accomplishing your other tasks. Self care is important to remain healthy mentally, emotionally and physically. For me, this is something that I still have a hard time working on but I find that when I do take time to care for myself I feel better overall about life. The time you take for yourself is time you need to reset so you can be effective in your other tasks.
- Prioritize
Honestly, prioritizing has become my best friend and I do it all day every day. When you have a long list of tasks to complete it’s easy to get stressed and overwhelmed. Prioritizing is helpful because you have a clear vision of what you need to get done and when it needs to be done by.
- Ask for help
Asking for help can be hard for some people. Personally, I really don’t like asking for help, especially when it’s related to my mental health. This is a lesson I’ve learned over time as I’ve learned that I can’t do this alone but I also don’t have to. Nobody is ever alone and nobody should have to face something as significant as mental health issues alone. Whether it be a professional, family member, friend, coworker or even a stranger, asking for help is always a good option.
Like I said before, these tips are not going to cure anyone’s anxiety and they may not even relieve stress for some people. The important thing is to try new things and learn ways that help you feel less overwhelmed with life.
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