How to reduce anxiety now that lockdown has lifted…
If you want to know how to feel calm, you must first understand why you feel anxious.
Many people enjoyed lockdown, because in having less choice they had less overwhelm. Too much choice can lead to indecision, which in turn can create overwhelm, procrastination and increased anxiety.
We live in a world full of options. On a daily basis we have to make choices around what to wear, what to buy, where to eat, who to call. I remember one time experiencing an attack of anxiety when having to quickly choose a type of shampoo – I know that sounds ridiculous but I had a lot of other responsibilities at the time and deciding on a shampoo, in a busy shop when I was tired, was the final straw. And I had no idea how to reduce anxiety.
Making choices can create anxiety especially for maximisers.
Maximisers are people who want to get the best out of everything, quantity and quality for the best value.
There is nothing wrong with this, until the decision making process becomes time consuming and stressful and you can’t be happy with your final decision, always wondering if you made the right choice. This can leave maximisers with feelings of depression and regret. Scanning every positive option is not always possible so maximisers can be left feeling that there was a better option and they missed out.
So what should you do instead?
Be a satisfier!
Satisfiers are those who make a decision and are satisfied with their choice.
They do not entertain regret. They accept things as ‘good enough’ to do the job. They are not affected by added options, so the many choices have less negative impact on them because they are satisfied with their choice and happy to move on. They do not have to wonder how to reduce anxiety.
In an effort to reduce anxiety try the following:
Shop local. Go to a small store nearby that sells good quality and has less choice.
Leave your clothes out the night before, so you don’t have to think about what to wear in the morning.
See one friend during the week, and have one dinner appointment at the weekend, even if it means you can’t see some friends until December!
Reduce caffeine and other stimulants.
Accept that you feel anxious and give yourself space to work through it.
Reach out and ask for help. You can book a free session with me
Read more tips on how to reduce anxiety from my previous blogs
