7 Small Ways to Chip Away at Everyday Anxiety

Feelings of anxiety creep into our lives and daily routine on a constant basis. It’s just what happens in today’s world with our various commitments, obligations and responsibilities. But there are some ways to deal with these issues.

From supplements like CBD capsules to mindfulness and meditation practices, folks are engaging in various levels of wellness and self-care these days like never before. In this article, we’re going to show you some small and simple ways for you to chip away at your everyday anxiety so you can live a healthier, happier life.

What Is Anxiety?

According to the experts, anxiety can generally be described as one of the body’s natural responses to stress and can include feelings of fear, apprehension and nervousness. According to the folks at the Mayo Clinic, anxiety can manifest physically in a number of ways, including increased heart rate, sweating, trembling, rapid breathing and more.

Anxiety can affect your ability to sleep, to focus and even cause you to feel weak or tired.

While some anxiety is just part of daily life, it can be a sign of a more persistent issue.

There are several types of anxiety disorders and, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, they affect more than 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older every year.

This is why it’s important to be equipped with the knowledge of how to lessen your day-to-day anxiety to keep your mental and emotional health in a good place. We’ve put together some small ways that you can achieve this.

7 Ways to Chip Away at Everyday Anxiety

There may never be a way to avoid anxiety. It’s just part of life. While anxiety may come, it’s important for us to help it on its way and hurry it along out of our lives. Here are seven ways to chip away at your everyday anxiety.

1. If you don’t have a routine… get one. This is because we are creatures of habit. Introducing a certain level of predictability into your daily life will go a long way to giving your mind the room it needs to worry about the big things. Like the project you have due at the end of the week or what you need to buy your loved one for their birthday. Think simple here! Meal planning and prep is always good. But it can also be other things, like laying out your wardrobe choices the night before. Often, folks complain that this sounds monotonous or will make them into a boring person. But imagine all the mental and emotional energy you’ll have left to deal with the big things when the little ones are already taken care of!

2. If you do have a routine… simplify it. Some folks have overly complicated routines and pack way too much into their day. Overscheduling is an issue for the hyper-organized and even if everything looks doable on your daily task list or monthly calendar, you may be cramming in too much. Look for ways to trim back and give yourself downtime between tasks. Not every moment of the day needs to be accounted for. The longer your body is under stress, the more anxiety you’ll feel. Sometimes, we just have to accept that we need to drop something from the daily routine that isn’t working for us or find another time in our day for it. Morning exercise and meditation isn’t conducive to getting the kids off to school? Maybe lunchtime is better! Get creative, but keep it simple.

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3. Ditch the bad habits like smoking, drinking and caffeine. A lot of us cling to our vices because we think that they’re stress relievers. We might think that we’ll never make it through the morning or even that workout without a triple espresso cup of energy juice. Or perhaps sneaking away for that coffin nail seems like a perfect way to disconnect. Maybe still, a wine or whisky at the end of the day is completely harmless, right? The truth is these bad habits have negative physiological effects and often we partake to unhealthy excess when we’re stressed. Reducing or quitting smoking, drinking and caffeine can lessen your anxiety or be part of a treatment strategy to deal with anxiety disorders. If you’re having trouble kicking any of these habits, be sure to reach out for help.

4. Write it out. Keeping everything bottled up inside is never healthy. Sometimes, it can be tough to talk it out with another person or we simply don’t have the time to connect with our busy schedules. Keeping a daily journal is a great way to get everything out of your mind in a relatively safe and non-threatening way. Remember, this is just for you and not for anyone else to see. You don’t even have to reread what you write! But committing to writing two or three pages daily and sticking to that number no matter what will be incredible for lessening anxiety. Engage in some stream of consciousness writing, which means writing anything that comes to mind – even if that’s “I’m tired” for two pages. Do it first thing in the morning to set yourself up for a good day or before bed to clear your mind for better sleep. You’ll be surprised at the beneficial effects it has on lowering your feelings of anxiety.

5. Take the stairs or walk home. Basically, do anything you can to get a little more exercise into your daily routine. Researchers have emphatically claimed that the beneficial effects of regular physical activity on health are indisputable in the field of modern medicine. But that doesn’t mean you need to carve out two or three hours in your busy schedule every day to go to the gym. If you can, then that’s amazing, and congratulations because many folks probably wish they could. But just getting in those extra steps and ensuring you’re not spending your entire day sitting at a desk or on the couch will be really important.

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6. Eat better and make sure you hydrate. No one is saying you have to give up family pizza night on Fridays or that you can’t treat yourself to that fancy ice cream on the weekend. The suggestion is to eat better, not perfectly. A great way to do that is simply by keeping better snack choices or meal options in the house and keeping the cookies and processed convenience foods out. This way, you’re reaching for some baby carrots instead of a bag of chips. Or you’re grilling up some chicken breasts instead of breaded, deep-fried nuggets. And while you’re eating better, drink more water! Or juice! Or herbal tea! Keep that body hydrated. Better nutrition and hydration are going to better equip your body to deal with the stressors of daily life and lessen those feelings of anxiety.

7. Go to sleep 30 minutes earlier. The data is in and Americans just aren’t sleeping enough. That means that not only are we more tired in our daily lives, but we’re more prone to anxiety as well. Many anxiety disorders are aggravated by fatigue and exhaustion because our minds simply aren’t well-rested enough to deal with life’s simple daily stressors. If the little things are getting to you, there’s no way that you’ll be able to deal with the big ones. By going to sleep just 30 minutes earlier, you’ll be closing the gap on a sleep deficit that has probably been building for a long time. If you’re having trouble making that happen, give a natural supplement like a CBD tincture a try to help you feel calm and relaxed before bedtime. Just make sure you are sticking to the routine and taking CBD every day. And while you think you can’t afford to give up those 30 minutes to sleep, you’ll eventually find yourself being more productive during your better-rested waking hours. It’s a positive cycle that may even result in added sleep time later down the line. Give it a try! You’ll be happy you did.

Keep it simple and ask for help if you need it!

At the end of the day, you don’t want to make your feelings of anxiety something that causes you more anxiety! Incorporate little tips and tricks like we have here to combat stress and anxiety on a daily basis before it gets to be too much. But if it feels too big to handle on your own, it’s time to reach out to a qualified professional. Never hesitate to get help. You deserve it!

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