Tips to reduce your daily anxiety in easy ways

If you are stressed, whether by your job or by something more personal, the first step to feeling better is to identify the cause. The keys to relief anxiety are building emotional strength, being in control of your situation, having a good social network and adopting a positive outlook. These are some anxiety-busting suggestions.

1. Be active

Exercise won’t make your stress disappear, but it will reduce some of the emotional intensity that you are feeling, clearing your thoughts and letting you to deal with your problems more calmly.

2. Take control

The act of taking control is in itself empowering, and it's a crucial part of finding a solution that satisfies you and not someone else.

3. Connect with people

A good support network of colleagues, friends and family can ease your work troubles and help you see things in a different way. The activities we do with friends help us relax. We often have a good laugh with them, which is an excellent stress reliever.

4. Have some 'me time'

We all need to take some time for socialising, relaxation or exercise. It is recommended that setting aside a couple of nights a week for some quality "me time" away from work helps reduce anxiety.

5. Challenge yourself

Setting yourself goals and challenges, whether at work or outside, such as learning a new language or a new sport, helps to build confidence. This will help you deal with stress.

6. Avoid unhealthy habits

Don't rely on alcohol, smoking and caffeine as your ways of coping. Over the long term, these crutches won’t solve your problems. It might provide temporary relief, but it won’t make the problems disappear. You need to tackle the cause of your stress.

7. Help other people

Evidence shows that people who help others, through activities such as volunteering or community work, become more resilient. The more you give, the more resilient and happy you feel. Try to do someone a favour every day. It can be something as small as helping someone to cross the road or going on a coffee run for colleagues.

8. Work smarter, not harder

Working smarter means prioritising your work, concentrating on the tasks that will make a real difference. Leave the least important tasks to last.

9. Try to be positive

Look for the positives in life, and things for which you are grateful. Try to be glass half full instead of glass half empty. Try writing down three things that went well, or for which you are grateful, at the end of every day.

10. Accept the things you can't change

Changing a difficult situation isn't always possible. Try to concentrate on the things you do have control over.

Source: thedailystar