Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Ways to Distract Yourself When You're Anxious






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Do you ever get anxious? I'm not talking about a full-on anxiety attack, but just anxious about certain events or situations? I definitely do.

I think I am just naturally anxious, but at times, it becomes exacerbated. Whether it's because of a speech I have coming up or it's the fear of the unknown when it comes to traveling, the list goes on... 

I have gotten a lot of e-mails over the years from readers who say they feel exactly the same way and ask for any suggestions to cope. So, I thought I would share my number one suggestion: distraction! 

One of the things that I have noticed that helps anxiousness is distracting yourself. Let's use the example of having a big presentation coming up. This is one event that gets me anxious for days prior! Besides being well rehearsed and prepared (this is the most important one!!), I think distracting yourself is another way to stay calm.

For example, in the days leading up to your presentation, instead of dwelling on it, keep yourself busy. Here are my go-to distractions:

Movies/TV// This one can be great- but I have found that it needs to be something really engaging, not just an episode of Friends that you've seen 10 times before. 

A Great Book// For me, this is the most effective. But again, just like with TV/movies, the book has to be really good! 

Workout Classes// I think any type of workout can be beneficial in more ways than one, however, I think being with people in a class where you are focused on an instructor is the best! And that's saying something coming from me- I'm not a huge fan of workout classes but it works! 

Dinner with Friends// This is another great one. Getting together with your friends can be so much fun and you're more likely to focus on your night rather than anything else! 

Podcast// This one is new for me. I just started listening to podcasts this past weekend. I was driving to Maryland and this totally took my mind off of the daunting drive. It's not that I was necessarily anxious, but it was just great to have my mind engaged instead of just staring out the window! 

Sleep// It's 8:30pm the night before your presentation. You can either sit there and worry or you can just go right to bed! It's a win-win because you'll be well rested, too! Sleep is a great way to shut down your mind and take a break. So whether it's a nap or an earlier-than-usual bedtime, it works! 

Besides readers letting me know that, they too are anxious, I've also had a lot of e-mails asking how to get over a breakup. There is definitely no right answer for this and every situation is different but I also find these distractions to work well after a breakup, too. So this is always my recommendation for that as well! Do you have any tips to combat anxiousness?

About the Outfit: I wanted to share this outfit ASAP because this adorable ruffled sweater top is now 60% off! I am so in love with it. It's part classic and part fun/girly. It runs true to size! 

3 comments:

Suburban prep said...

I know anxiety.
I have found going for a walk (at anytime of the year) is a great help for me.
Now that the weather is better my husband and I go for about 1 1/2-3 mile walk each night after dinner (weather permitting--rain and humidity).
Last fall with the illness and then passing of my father I found that the best thing I did was to get out of the house and go for a walk. I noticed that the fresh air and just walking were the best thing for me.
I also have noticed that doing yoga and acupuncture are other good things to do.

Hope all is well.

Allie said...

Exercising helps distract me so much! The happy music, the different exercises, feeling the burn - I always leave feeling like I have so much less stress weighing me down! xAllie
www.theallthatglittersblog.com

Sarah J said...

Meditation and conscious breathing help me so much. Meditation calms me down so much when I'm feeling super anxious about work - I just close my door and do it. It's just taking a few moments to be quiet and focus on breathing. There are so many guided meditations and free apps - I've used headspace, which is very well-known, and it's great.

 

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