Simple Techniques I Have Used to Reduce Worry

During the COVID19 lock-downs many people have experienced both stress and anxiety. Its been a very difficult year for everyone, especially for those people who have lost their jobs and have struggled with loan payments.

We have friends that have worried themselves sick trying to find jobs and realizing that the business was not holding up due to the lock downs and the change in people’s spending habits, from bricks and mortar to online.

Many thoughts race through your mind when your business is going downhill. Thoughts of being homeless or running out of savings to pay for your rent. When will this end, and how will people change after this event? Will the spending habits go back to normal, or will people change their lifestyles? Even thoughts that even when it does clear up, what other problems await us?

Although the recent challenges many of us have faced are not typical, the world can be a stressful and worrying environment at the best of times. In newspapers and articles, I’m sure we have all read stories that nonstop worry can cause a lot of health problems and conditions. Worry can cause a variety of problems in your body.

Some common effects of worry include headaches and feelings of anxiety, this can lead to further problems caused by the inability to sleep. A close friend at work recently mentioned to me that their partner had to visit the doctor to see why they were experiencing chest pain and heart palpitations. Luckily for them, it was not a serious condition – but caused by severe stress. (Please note if you experience chest pain please see a doctor urgently, don’t assume anything).

Other symptoms of worry can be stomach problems and increased fatigue. In general, stress causes you to feel downright lousy and miserable and this is not a good situation to be in for too long.

If at any time you feel overwhelmed and are finding it difficult to cope many agencies offer help. Talking to friends and family is also a good option.

What Do You Worry About?

Well, let us define worry firstly, it’s a general sense of insecurity, unease, and fear over what negative events may happen – as unrealistic as these concerns may be, it is very unpleasant and one of the worst feelings to experience.

It is somewhat comforting to know that we all tend to experience similar worries in the areas of:

Lack of money and the future

This is one of the biggest worries most people have. Nearly everyone has this worry. It includes thoughts that you are not getting paid enough, your job is at risk and you won’t be able to pay the mortgage. Sometimes you can regain some control by planning. Preparing a budget for instance can go some way to taking off the pressure. If you are concerned about job security, you could look into learning more skills and stay ahead of the job market. If you have a plan B, then it will also reduce your stress. Thinking through scenarios is very helpful to reduce stress, and writing down your plans somehow makes it easy to see if you have any holes in them. Keeping a ‘big picture’ outlook and keeping things in perspective even when things are tough is very important. Sometimes we just need to baton down the hatches and ride the storm out.

Employment Security

Worry about losing one’s job and not having enough money to pay the bills is something that most people worry about. Some ways to mitigate this is to keep your ear to the ground and listen to what is happening in your workplace. If you have contacts with people in the human resource department you may get some hints on what is going on. Again, having a Plan B cannot be over-emphasized. Simply writing a plan down and being prepared takes the pressure off. Examine your options work-wise, and although not something that can be done quickly, staying up-to-date in your field is very important.

Health

In times of difficulty, we need to pay more attention to our health, due to the stress we are experiencing. This means eating healthy food and exercising. Developing habits that allow you to keep your body in good shape is vital for the long run. It might not feel like a big deal not to go for a 15-minute walk each day, but when you don’t do any exercise for 5 or 10 years down the track you will notice the difference. Sometimes it is those little things you do daily that have the biggest impact 5/10/15 years down the track.

We all need at least 7 hours of sleep. Studies have shown that we need sleep for our mental well-being. Getting enough sleep is beneficial in many ways, some of the biggest benefits are that your brain is more alert, and it improves your outlook on life. With the right sleep, your immune system can fight germs better, and it is good for your heart by keeping your blood pressure low.

Relationships

Most of us have these worries unless we are happy being single and don’t need much social human interaction. Generally, people that are single worry about being single and try to find a partner. Those with partners worry whether their partner is the right person, or should they keep looking. If you have teenage children, you will also have to manage the relationship at this sensitive time. This also puts extra pressure. As this is a very common issue with many parents there is a mass of books available from reputable authorities. One word of advice, just be careful going through forums and listening to what others did, it may cause more problems.

Some stress is not necessarily all bad, and it is in most people’s life. Its when the worry is relentless and turns into anxiety that we start to feel the pressure.

There are many coping strategies that can help reduce the sense of anxiety and about life. Talking to friends or close family members is one way to get things into perspective. If you find things are really overwhelming you you can seek the help of trained professionals in this area that can assist and provide you with tailored coping techniques. 

Some suggestions to deal with everyday life stress:

1. Take the “one-month” attitude approach

Most stresses don’t amount to anything, so ask yourself will I be worried about this in one month’s time? If it is unlikely, then why even worry about it. Sometimes worrying a lot about many things creates an overall stressed outlook in life. So, the house may be a bit messy, and some things need doing. Big deal, sometimes if you adjust your tolerance levels, then life can be happier.

2. Consider the worst-case scenario?

It is a part of normal human evolution to protect ourselves that we tend to think of the worst possible outcomes. On many occasions, we worry ourselves sick about situations that just never eventuate.

If it turns out that the worst thing that can happen is bad, then you prepare yourself mentally for it. There are always steps that can be taken to improve a situation, go through them and write your plan down.

It is inevitable in life that at some stage we will experience the loss of loved ones. When such a thing happens, it is never a pleasant event and will take time to recover. However, as I have found, with time (a worn-out phrase), but true, you do come to terms with it. During these times you need to take care of yourself (eat healthily and get some sleep), give yourself time and patience. Some advice which has helped me is that you try to get yourself busy, just start working doing things around the house, or on some project. It does help to take your mind off it even briefly.

3. Live in “Day-Tight Compartments”

This is a great suggestion by the famous man himself Dale Carnegie in his book “In How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.

Just like a ship that is constructed with many water-tight compartments, so if a section is damaged it can be sealed to prevent the entire ship from filling with water.

In a similar way that’s how we need to live our lives, take the days one day at a time. When things get really tough, this is a good way to allow you to manage. Now, this is not a recipe for not planning, as that would be irresponsible. Plan for the future, but allow yourself to live for the day. We are all guilty of getting caught up with what happened in the day or might happen tomorrow, and we can’t just appreciate the moment we are living in.

4. Most likely it probably won’t happen

“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.”-Mark Twain

Many of our worries simply never happen, however, we use up a lot of energy thinking about them. Using methods like going for a walk, meditation can help us calm down and try and put things into perspective.

5. Do Something Different

Sometimes when you are experiencing a stressful event you can try making a massive change. Some options you could consider are:

• Change your country/state, especially if the problem is caused by the location you are living in.
• Take a break/vacation, you could go camping, bush walking or go overseas and just relax
• Change jobs – sometimes instead of having to endure the pain of turning up at work, a new job may be the best option. Toxic work environments rarely improve and take their toll on your health.

6. Practice Mindfulness

Practice relaxation techniques such as mindfulness. This is very effective in allowing you to relax and clear your mind. The steps are simple and it doesn’t take any more than 10 minutes per day.

• This usually involves:
• Finding a nice comfortable space which you won’t be interrupted
  Close your eyes and slowly take a deep breath
  Now breath out through your mouth
  Focus on your breathing, and listen to the air been drawn into your lungs and released
  Think of a place in which you felt safe warm and cozy, try to take your mind to that place
  If your mind starts to wander (which is normal), gently think back to that safe place, (don’t be harsh on yourself, as this is normal)
  Practice this for 10 minutes each day

It’s important to look after yourself, as we sometimes tend to focus on family so much that we fail to look after ourselves. By getting enough rest and practicing these techniques you will hopefully enjoy the moment a bit more.