Life often feels like a nonstop conveyor belt of responsibilities, notifications and errands. There are never ending questions about what to make for dinner and a lot of anxieties surrounding deadlines, kids and work. With all that buzzing around your brain, it’s not a shock that anxiety likes to sneak in and make itself comfortable.
Luckily, building in anti-anxiety solutions is so much easier than you think and it doesn’t require a total overhaul of your lifestyle. You don’t need to quit your job or move to the mountains to be one with the stars if you don’t want to – you can, of course, go ahead if you do! But you do need to figure out which anti-anxiety methods are best for you. Some people reach for things like pre-rolls to decompress, but even without anything like that there are countless ways to design a calmer day with simple, accessible routines that don’t require a prescription. So, let’s take a look at how you can weave some stressbusters into your day without it feeling like homework.
Start the morning without the chaos
The way you start the day really does set the tone for the things that follow. If your current morning routine looks like waking up, immediate panic and scrolling on your phone before realizing that you’re late, then you’re not alone. A lot of mornings start like that. They don’t have to, though. Instead of waking up and scrolling for example, why not create a mini calm buffer zone. It doesn’t need to be profound or mystical, just intentional. Put your phone somewhere else at night so you can’t roll over and grab it when you wake up. You’re less likely to start in a panic if you do that. Then make a point of giving yourself five minutes to sit, stretch and wake up before you get going. Your brain loves a slow transition, so give it one.
Build in micro-moments of relaxation
Relaxation doesn’t actually require big blocks of time. You don’t need a full lunch break or a spa bath or even a yoga session for those made of rubber. Instead, smaller moments through the day can reduce accumulated tension. A sixty second reset per hour to pause, straighten up and roll your shoulders is a good start. Then you can try the soft focus trick, where you look away from your screen and ‘soft focus’ on the outside world. This signals your brain to get out of hyperfocus. You can also create workday rituals that help you to transition between tasks, like making a drink and having a stretch before starting the next one.
Make movement fun
Body movement is great for anxiety as it gets out all of that additional adrenaline. Exercise releases stress but that doesn’t mean that you have to become an athlete before you head to work or on your lunch break. You can move your body and make it entirely fun by doing things that you actually enjoy! Fun and anxiety friendly ways to move include a kitchen dance for a song, taking a walk around the block and stretching on the floor while watching a show you enjoy. These are good for those who work from home, but if you’re at the office, a quick walk in the street in fresh air can do wonders for you.
Create the right vibe at home
Your space has a huge impact on your nervous system and a cluttered and chaotic environment can whisper that chaos into your brain. So, make a point of creating a calming environment that you can really feel secure in. Security is important if you want to quiet the anxious voice in your head. Soft lighting, a clutter free zone in which to work or study and gentle background noise can make all the difference to your nervous system and that’s what you want to appease! Design a spade that feels like a hug when you walk in, and you can start quieting that anxiety down.
Practice the art of doing less
I promise, sincerely, that rest is as productive as not resting. One of the biggest anxieties in life is the fear of missing out and if you’re resting, your body thinks that it’s missing something amazing. It’s not. In fact, rest is probably the most productive thing that you can do for yourself. You need to remind yourself that your body is going to react to the environment, and if you don’t create the right one on the inside it doesn’t matter how much sleep you need. You need to stop sometimes and just relax. It’s not always easy and it does take practice but give yourself a little grace to practice nothingness. This doesn’t make you lazy, it makes you functional.
Use social connections as stress relief
Humans are built for connection. Even introverts need some level of meaningful interaction to feel grounded. You don’t need any dramatic heart to hearts with friends, but you do need to send a silly meme or ask strangers how their day is going. It’s a good way to connect and your brain releases calming chemicals when you connect with others, even in small, quick ways. Think of it like emotional vitamin C.
Create a routine for the evening that truly winds you down
You don’t need to try and fall asleep like you’re hitting a stop sign. There is no rush to fall asleep so building in a routine that doesn’t feel robotic is smart. Warm drinks, dimmed lights, short stretches and a calming hobby can do the trick. You can make this pretty consistent and your brain then learns that this is the part of the day you truly let go.
Building in anti-anxiety solutions will really be less complicated than you think when you give yourself the time for it. Gentle improvements add up to a much calmer life and you can do this with one small, soothing moment at a time.