Anxiety is at an all time high.
Everyone might feel anxious or stressed before a test or job interview, but anxiety disorder extends beyond a moment of time and can affect someone’s thoughts every single day. It is when your worries become illogical, uncontrollable and unwarranted.
Affecting 40 million adults in the U.S. every year, it is the most common mental illness in our country. Many of us are all too familiar with the gut-wrenching feelings that anxiety brings. It hurts motivation, productivity and overall enjoyment in the workplace and in life.
We gathered the best eight tips and tricks to help calm anxious feelings and manage the stress that comes with it!
Take Care of Yourself First
Make sure you drink plenty of water, eat healthy meals and shower. Getting plenty of sleep is also a key to calming anxiety. When anxiety prevents peaceful sleep, read a book or meditate in silence. Create these relaxing and quiet environments where you can be in peace and away from the things that create anxiety.
Vanessa Molica, The Lash Professional
Have a Driving Motivator
Oftentimes, anxiety stems from the actions we made in the past or the decisions we have to make in the near future. Amongst all the chaos, I keep one thing at the core of my decision-making process: my mental health. This mindset allows me to evaluate my short term and long term decisions to ensure that I am heading down a path that benefits my personal wellness. Although mental health is the center of my decisions, this can differ for other people. Overall happiness, physical health or passion for purpose can be other motivators. Having something in mind that drives you towards bettering yourself is a great starting point!
Thylan Le, Markitors
Remember to Breathe
Anxiety can stem from many things, including preparing for interviews and new job opportunities. I recommend taking a few deep breaths before any interview to calm the nerves. Remember to smile and breathe, it does help. It is also good to have options. The more companies you are talking to, the less pressure you place on yourself for each interview. Remind yourself that you have adequately prepared for the interview or conversation and that you are ready.
Kerri D’Astici, HR and Career Blueprint
Enjoy a Peaceful Vacation
Sometimes the best thing for anxiety is a change of scenery. Prioritizing yourself enough to take time off and escape to a peaceful vacation or retreat spot is a great way to temporarily cut ties with your everyday environment. Outdoor vacation spots like Lake Rabun are the perfect example of a relaxed and fulfilling getaway that is sure to ease anxiety and restore perspective.
Gwen North, Lake Rabun Hotel
Hit The Open Road
Take a drive and relax. Getting behind the wheel and having a change of scenery can be a nice way to change perspectives and release tension. Whether it’s a quick 15-minute drive around the neighborhood or a weekend roadtrip, there’s something calming about the open road.
Randall Smalley, Cruise America
Take Up A Hobby
Take up a hobby or revisit an old one. Hobbies are great for directing nervous energy into something else and focusing on a single task rather than worrying about others. Choose a hobby that suits your current situation and interests. Find groups that can give you advice or blogs to follow to help you get started.
Dan Reck, MATClinics
Tackle One Task at a Time
I try to slow down and take it one step at a time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed looking ahead at the schedule for the week or at all the tasks piling up. I’ve found that focusing on one project at a time helps keep me grounded and prevents anxiety from negatively affecting my work and personal life.
Monica Eaton-Cardone, Chargebacks911
Just Be Still
The best way to combat anxiety in the moment is to just be still. Close your eyes, plant your feet on the ground and breathe. Breathe in for a count of three, hold the breath for a count of three and release the breath for a count of three. There are a few ongoing meditation exercises you can quickly search for online. Thrive Global is a great resource for practical every day meditational practices. If someone is experiencing extreme – and even not so extreme – anxiety, find a therapist. There are often affordable options for those who are not working and for those that are, feasible recommendations through your company’s EAP.
Nadine Mullings, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation
Self Care
Taking time for bonus self-care is sometimes key to managing anxiety. Self-care does not always have to be lengthy, expensive, or elaborate. If self-care for you means an hour long massage, then go for it. Self-care can also be simple small things like a quick extra part to a beauty routine, a walk in the neighborhood, having a second cup of coffee, or finding a quick five minutes to read. By “treating” myself to small things, it’s easier to manage anxiety when stressful situations do come up.
Jessica Schocker, Recruitment Consultant
Meditation
Meditation has been my best friend during this time of high anxiety. There are tons of free meditation apps that can guide you. I would suggest starting out with guided meditations for small periods of time and then gradually increasing the duration.
Dana Felix, HR Analyst
Focus on the Thing in Front of You
There’s an amazing book The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh – a Buddhist monk who was exiled in Paris during the Vietnam War. In his writing about the miracle of being present in the moment, it’s about focusing on the one thing in front of you: washing a dish, eating a piece of fruit, sipping your coffee — by focusing on just this one thing or activity, it helps to calm your anxiety instead of thinking about everything else you have to do.
Lauren Patrick, Curricula
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