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"How to Manage Anxiety and Implement a Daily Action Plan for Success"

TMSD


managing anxiety daily can be tough hopefully the following tips and strategies will help
Managing anxiety can be tough, however, these following tips below can help

Dealing with personal challenges is a common experience, and for me, managing anxiety is a significant part of my life journey. This blog is a tribute to Liv, a staff member at my doctor's office. Recently, I made the decision, with the assistance of my physician assistant, to decrease my anxiety medication once again. Despite numerous attempts in the past, this marks the first instance in nearly three decades where I truly feel I have a genuine chance to succeed.

Decreasing my anxiety medication comes with many problems. Lately, my sleep has been disturbed, often waking up at my dreaded 3 am stress hour. I find myself grappling with feelings of guilt and stress stemming from recent conversations. What a challenging morning it has been! Being Friday, the day is bustling wherever I go. Following my usual routine, my first task each morning is tending to my boy, an almost 8-year-old furry companion. I take him to a nearby recreation center, initially a tranquil setting that quickly transforms into chaos within minutes. As people emerge, my boy's curiosity leads him to follow strangers. He takes pride in himself, often assuming the role of a prince, especially in familiar environments with new faces to impress. I maintain control by allowing him to follow his usual path, ensuring he does not disrupt others, given the ongoing tai chi class, walkers, and a wellness health fair setting up nearby. Unbeknownst to me, my anxiety starts to escalate, only realizing it when my patience wears thin due to my toddler's disobedience. In front of everyone, I find myself issuing corrective commands out of frustration. Upon returning to the car, I acknowledge that the chaotic scene was a result of my own lack of control. While my anxiety is not incapacitating, it significantly challenges me mentally at times. It affects my decision-making abilities and leads to occasional mental confusion, resulting in misinterpreting the circumstances and a tendency towards irritability, making it quite challenging!



take a few minutes everyday to focus on you and what causes your anxiety. self awareness is a start to managing anxiety
Taking time for yourself each day is extremely important

Having returned home feeling improved, I find myself in my comfort zone preparing for work. Opting for a cheerful summer outfit with a touch of Versace, I accidentally knock over the bottle of perfume, causing it to spill all over the carpet. How frustrating! Why couldn't it have been a less favored one? Could this be a sign from the universe or a message from God to pause and take a breath? I suppose so. Lesson learned.

While on my way to work, I take a slight detour to stop by my beloved park for some relaxation and to immerse myself in nature. I aim to carve out a moment for self-reflection and contemplate the idea of tapering off my anxiety medication.

I have done some research to determine the average time it would take for the reduction in medication to lead to noticeable changes in a new baseline. I contacted my doctor's office to discuss the realistic accuracy of this research, and I had a conversation with Liv, who is knowledgeable and understanding. It turns out that Liv also experiences anxiety. We immediately connected, and I found Liv to be a very intelligent young woman who is actively managing her anxiety using some of the self-help techniques that I discuss in my blogs. I am thankful to have spoken with someone who is compassionate and empathetic. By the end of our conversation, I already felt significantly better because I was able to share my story. This action plan is dedicated to Liv!



managing daily anxiety is critical for your mental health, the goal is to improve your mental health a little bit each day
Let's focus on some tips and strategies I use to help manage my daily anxiety


Action Plan for Mental Health: Strategies and Tips:



  1. Getting enough sleep is crucial. Discover your optimal sleep routine. Disconnect from electronic devices at a consistent time each night. Establish a regular bedtime routine, consistency is essential.

Set specific daily goals by writing them down every day. Begin with just one or two objectives, such as reducing coffee consumption to one 16oz. cup daily and refraining from consuming caffeine after noon, coffee can make anxiety worse.


  1. Keep a journal or use your phone to track patterns of stressors for two weeks. Personally, I am sensitive to loud noises, invasion of personal space, and specific social settings like sports events, outdoor concerts, and crowded grocery stores.

  2. Create a plan of action. In my case, if a store is too crowded, I either leave and return later or wait until the next morning. Research the levels of crowds beforehand.



Establishing Healthy Coping Strategies:

  1. Keep a journal... writing down your thoughts can help alleviate some of your stress. I personally utilize this method on a daily basis.

  2. Engage in physical activity... take a walk, run, play golf, tennis, pickleball, or swim

  3. Pursue hobbies... rediscover your interests such as crocheting, knitting, needlepoint, painting, cooking, or baking. (I am currently rediscovering my love for watercolor painting and embroidery)


Build a Support System:

  1. Call a friend, family member, talk with a therapist or pastor

  2. Exercise Class or Sports league ( get on a pickleball team, tennis team) I personally love to walk and connect with nature the outdoors is clinically proven to be a calming effect)



Monitor your Progress:

  1. Journal or take notes... tracking your mood, activities, achievements will help you mentally and physically prepare a action plan to move forward in a positive direction ( I use my phone for notes and write a lot of emails to myself)

  2. Use a tracking app for physical progress, mood, and activities ( I use Pacer)



Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle:

  1. Adequate sleep (find your optimal hours per night)

  2. Nutrition ( watch your sugar intake..try to cut back on sugary carbs)

  3. Exercise ( this is my go to! can't emphasize how much a 10 minute walk helps me)


Practice Mindfulness:

  1. Practice yoga, tai chi, stretch

  2. Try breathing exercises

  3. Meditate( not going to lie this is very difficult for me)

  4. Take a break ...set timer to remind you to breathe, walk outside for 5 minutes



By following some of these suggestions I believe you can create an effective action plan for a healthier you! Mental, physical and spiritual health is very important to me and I know that consistency is the key to making a positive difference in your life. Be patient and take it minute by minute. Take care of YOU!


Until next time.......





anxiety is challenging and debilitating at times but each day we should  focus on a few healthy changes to improve our quality of life and health
Eating healthy and making a few choices each day to better yourself is challenging but essential to improve quality of life and mental health



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