13 Things to Do When You're Worried About Everything

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a lot of concern, panic, and outright fear. Some of this is because of the constant media coverage, some of it is because of continuous changes and regulations, but a lot of it is because of the unknown.

In my lifetime, and my parents’ lifetimes, there has never been a situation quite like this one. The ongoing “joke,” if you will, is about the lack of toilet paper, but in reality there aren’t any bottles of soap or hand sanitizer to be found. The grocery store is like a wasteland, and at this point, we aren’t really sure when things will reach some sort of normal again.

The grocery store is like a wasteland, and at this point, we aren’t really sure when things will reach some sort of normal again.

I will be the first to say that I worry over just about everything. My anxiety is an everyday battle, and sometimes the toughest things are those that most people probably don’t even think twice about. So, it was a surprise to me that I’m not really worried about the pandemic.

In fact, I have been oddly calm about the whole thing. It’s really quite interesting. And, I’m not the only one! I was reading about this phenomenon a couple of days ago. If you struggle with anxiety, you might have noticed this, too! For some of us, it’s been an (unfortunate) break from the anxiety.

But for those of you who are not usually anxious, this pandemic might have you worried or scared. It might not make sense to you, because you may not even be thinking about the virus itself. It might be the social isolation or fear for loved ones. It could even be the sheer fact that we don’t know how big or bad this will get before it’s over.

Whatever you’re worried about (do some soul searching), there are a few steps you can take to help yourself get through:

STEP 1: Accept that You're Worried

If you deny that you’re worried about anything, even if you feel like it’s the smallest thing in the world, it will just keep growing.

STEP 2: Think About Why You're Worried

This doesn’t mean to think about your anxious topic. It means you need to dig a little further into your mind and figure out the reason behind your worry.

STEP 3: Don't Dwell

As hard as it is, and as much as you might feel like it’s not working, you have to do your best not to dwell on the things that are making you anxious.

IMPORTANT NOTE

If you begin experiencing physical side effects from anxiety, make sure to call your doctor. I am NOT a licensed doctor or therapist, just someone who regularly manages this kind of worry.

From my own experience, different levels of anxiety can look and/or feel like:

Peeling at dry skin
General restlessness and the urge to always be doing something, even when it’s logical to rest
The urge to cry at things you would normally be able to handle
Easily irritated and/or quick to react (when that’s out of the ordinary behavior)
Twitching
Migraine headaches
Panic attacks
Nausea
Diarrhea
An elephant sitting on your chest
A feeling like you can’t breathe

Sometimes when anxiety gets physical it can be really scary. If you feel like you can’t manage on your own, get help. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, and you might be saving yourself other nasty problems.

Getting help does not mean you’re not strong, nor does it mean there’s anything wrong with you. It just means that you know, as a person, that you have reached the limit of what you can do for yourself.

Getting help means that you know, as a person, that you have reached the limit of what you can do for yourself.

The good news is that you can do this! You are a unique human being with unlimited potential, as cheesy as that sounds, and you are meant to do special things on this earth. While anxiety might pose short-term difficulties, it can’t stop it unless you let it.

If you’re determined to prevail (and I hope you are!), here are some things you can do, even (especially?) when you are socially distancing yourself, to help yourself when you are worried about everything:

Take a Social Media Break

Being so connected to everyone can be a blessing, but it also adds to your stress and anxiety! If you’re anxious, you should definitely plan to take a break from all forms of social media for at least one solid day. Even better if you can avoid it for a whole week or more. This is CRITICAL. It’s one of those situations you sometimes don’t even know how much you’re on social media until you stop using it.

Once you get past the initial urge to click the apps on your phone or type the name into the search bar on your internet browser, you will likely find that you are not only relieved, but don’t miss it nearly as much as you thought you would.

Set a News Schedule

First, and this is a big first, be choosy about where you are getting your information from. This is an important rule of thumb in regular news, but especially during times like this where it seems like every person on the planet (qualified or not) has an opinion posted on the internet.

Inundating yourself 24/7 with information WILL overwhelm your anxiety, it’s just a matter of how quickly..

Second, once you have determined which news to read, DO NOT check it every 5 minutes for updates. Don’t even check it every hour. Select 2-3 times during the day where you will purposefully get updates on anything in the news and then only look at those sites during the allotted time. Beyond that TURN IT OFF. Inundating yourself 24/7 with information WILL overwhelm your anxiety, it’s just a matter of how quickly..

Abstain from Caffeine

When my grandma died, someone very smart (maybe a university therapist?) clued me in to the fact that caffeine acts the same way on your body as anxiety. That year I dropped caffeine altogether, and it was the best decision I could have made under those circumstances. I can’t stress this enough: if you drink 3 cups of caffeine in the morning (I know, I know, coffee is amazing) and then continuously throughout the day, that DEFINITELY adds to your anxious feelings. If you can’t cut it altogether, at least cut back a little bit - it really is for your own benefit, I promise.

Take a Walk

Getting some fresh air and time away from screens can do wonders not only for your anxiety, but for your health in general. When you’re walking, look at the houses and scenery around you.

Sometimes the things we drive by every day on our way to work are unique and interesting but we don’t take the time to notice. This will also give you a change of scenery and allow your brain to explore other things besides the inside of your house/office/etc.

Set Up a Routine

One of the things about anxiety, as you might have noticed, is that it intensifies with the unknown. When there's no normalcy. So, what better way to help yourself be less anxious than to set up a daily routine, especially when you're at home 95% of the time? This could be as simple as waking up and getting ready for the day as you would on a normal work day. Or, it could be more elaborate with planned breaks throughout the day. I have two alarms on my phone - one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon - to remind me to stretch.

Creating a routine is helpful because it creates a sense of the known.

Creating a routine is helpful because it creates a sense of the known. You can make the choice to keep up your routine, and therefore you gain back some normal "expected" elements of your life.

Read a Book

As a lover of books, this is a go-to for me. Other readers out there can probably relate to the feeling of escaping into the world of a good book. If you’re not a reader, you can still benefit from an audio or ebook! I’m a firm believer that people don’t like reading based on their prior experiences and selecting the wrong books. If you need suggestions, email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com and we will get you situated! I bet you I can find something that piques your interest.

Play with a Pet

I don’t know about your pet, but my dog Charlie is just about the best little companion in the world. His furry, excited little body is always ready for a game of fetch, tug, or a no-judgement snack. He loves to join me on my walks, but he also loves to sleep next to me as I work. It’s a win-win. Playing with him takes me out of my own head when I’m anxious and forces me to focus on the funny things he’s doing. It also gives him much deserved attention! This would work with your pet, too!

Not everyone has a pet, which is understandable, but you can still get in on the cuteness by watching realtime: kittens, puppies, sharks, and pretty much any animal you want to watch! Google “_____ cam” and find one for yourself! Explore.org has a great variety of live animal cams.

Create Something

Thinking creatively and the act of creating something helps anxiety because rather than focusing on what we’re worried about, we’re focused on our creation. This could be a poem, a piece of art, a piece of music - whatever strikes you. Give yourself permission to just do something creative, even if it’s not perfect. Just because you create doesn’t mean you have to share it with others. It’s the act of creating itself that matters most. If you’re really stuck and can’t think of anything (been there!), try an adult coloring page. I also really love my Vizuarts craft.

Give yourself permission to just do something creative, even if it’s not perfect.

Watch Your Favorite Movie

Growing up I always found myself watching the same movies over and over and over again. I’m a HUGE Disney fan, and I have seen almost all of them a thousand times (or so it seems). I’m sure it drove my family crazy, and my husband doesn’t enjoy it much now (although comparatively, I feel like I’ve really cut back).

In doing research about anxiety, though, and learning how to maintain my worry, I discovered that anxious people do tend to watch the same movies over and over because it becomes comforting. I know what will happen when I watch my favorite movies: that’s why I watch them! So, if you’re really worried, pop in an old favorite and soak in the fact that you know exactly what’s coming.

Clean Something

This news probably shouldn’t have been such a shock, but it was for me. Clutter and messiness adds to anxiety. For me, when I see that our home is messy, I have trouble focusing on work and my creative projects because I feel the necessity of cleaning pressing down on me. Boo. No one wants to feel pressured by mess! So when you’re anxious, try cleaning something. Put away the laundry in the basket, do the dishes, vacuum the carpet - whatever it is that will get you off the couch and moving around.

You don’t have to clean the whole room, but even doing one “chore” will take your mind off of your worries and change your mindset to think about being productive with your cleaning! If you hate cleaning, try setting a timer for yourself and doing one task until the timer goes off. We used to play this “cleaning game” growing up, and it works surprisingly well for both children and adults.

Call a Friend

When you’re down, who’s going to be there to pick you up? Your friends, of course! During this time where we are socially distancing ourselves from each other, being isolated can be lonely and hard on the nerves. So, I challenge you to call a friend. Not text, not direct message (DM) on social media, but actually make the voice call. Or better yet, video call them! Apple has the Facetime app, and Android has the Google Duo app - check it out! Facebook also has video capabilities, I believe, but I’ve never used it before. This would be a great time to try it out!

During this time where we are socially distancing ourselves from each other, being isolated can be lonely and hard on the nerves.

Meditate

Meditation is fantastic. It feels a little weird the first few times you do it, but once you learn, it’s a powerful way to take back your body from anxiety. I like using meditation to drift off to sleep, but there are also calming, compassion, and mindfulness meditations that would be helpful with managing anxiety. My preferred (and free) apps are: Stop Panic and Anxiety by Excel at Life and Insight Timer by Insight Network Inc.

Make a Gratefulness List

Last, but certainly not least, take a few minutes to physically, with a pen and piece of paper, write down what you are thankful for. Dig deep if you have to, but come up with a list of at least 5 things you are grateful for today. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our anxiety is change our perspective. Thinking positive by itself may not be a “fixed it” solution, but it will certainly help! And, you will have valuable insight about the great things in your life, too.

If, for some reason, you absolutely hate the idea of writing these things down, or you feel like someone will read them and you are not comfortable with that, you can use a digital app to do something similar. I like: Journey by Two App Studio Pte. Ltd., Pixels by Teo Vogel, and Gratit ude by Pritesh Sankhe.

Sometimes the best thing we can do for our anxiety is change our perspective.

Anxiety can be tough to deal with, especially when you’re not normally an anxious person. The important thing to remember is that you are not your anxiety. You are MORE than your anxiety. As my mom has always told me, “This, too, shall pass.” I am more than willing to help you in any way I can, but if you get overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to call your doctor and get help. You don’t have to go it alone.

What have you done to help your anxiety? How did it work? What advice do you think others with anxiety should hear? I’d love to hear about it! Drop a comment below or email me at rachel@capturingyourconfidence.com.

13 Things to Do When You're Worried About Everything