Anxiety Do’s-Don’ts
How to deal with anxiety?
Ever tried the Virtual Worry Box?
It can help manage your worries and reduce the impact of anxiety.
Let’s see how to use it.
1. First, open the Notes app on your phone.
2. Now, create a new note.
Title it “Worry Box” or something similar that you’ll recognize easily.
3. Stick with me now!
Whenever a worry pops up, do this:
→ Open your Worry Box
→ And write down what’s bothering you
Just make sure to be specific.
For example, don’t write:
→ “Work”
Write:
→ “I’m worried about the presentation I have to give on Thursday”
And remember:
→ No worry is too small or too big
If it’s bothering you, it goes in the box. Okay?
4. Great! Now, set a worry time.
What do I mean by that?
I mean this:
→ Choose a specific time each day or week to review your worries
For example:
→ 10 minutes every day at 6 PM
→ 30 minutes every Saturday at 2 PM
This will help you keep your worries from taking over your entire day.
5. Now your question is:
→ “Okay, what do I need to do during that time?
You just need to review your worries.
Here’s what to do:
→ Open your Worry Box
→ Read through your list of worries
→ And ask yourself these 3 questions:
• Is this worry still relevant?
• Has the situation changed since I wrote this down?
• Is there something I can do about this worry right now?
If the answer to the last question is “yes”, do this:
→ Make a note of the action you’ll take.
If the answer is “no”, just do this:
→ Acknowledge that it’s out of your control and try to let it go
6. Okay, now you just need to update your Worry Box.
What do I mean?
I mean:
→ Cross off worries that have been resolved or are no longer relevant
→ Continue to add new worries as they come up
This exercise is gonna help you:
→ Externalize your worries
→ Limit your worry time
→ And gain a new perspective
We just need consistency