how to reduce anxiety tips

How to reduce your anxiety while working from home

Covid or no covid, life will always bring a level of uncertainty.

And anxiety can affect us all, for lots of different reasons – and in different ways too.

However, this doesn’t mean we can’t find ways of managing it. And often, when we start practising a few helpful techniques, we can start to help ourselves feel much better.

And whether you’re currently contracting, working from home or looking for your next role, below are a few things you can try to help you calm your mind.

 

Tips for managing anxiety

1) Accept you’re feeling anxious

When feeling anxious, a common response is to try and fight the anxiety. This might involve blocking it out or trying to push through it, as if it was a normal day.

This often doesn’t help and in fact, you can even make yourself feel worse or guilty for not being your usual self.

The first step is to address the anxiety and accept you are feeling worried. It’s a completely normal emotion and especially during a time like this, anxiety is something a lot of people are feeling.

Take a few minutes to sit in the garden or make a cup of tea and just breathe. It’s ok to be anxious.

 

2) Solve the problems where you can

Sometimes we can feel anxious because a particular problem is bugging is and we don’t know how to resolve it.

This can often be because we’re looking for a perfect solution – which isn’t always possible.

A good way to get through this is to write down your problem and then list 10 possible solutions with the advantages and disadvantages alongside.

This will help you see the best possible solution for a given problem and eliminate the worry around something that can be solved.

 

3) Accept what you can’t control

Of course, there will always be some things that we can’t control. And worrying about these things is just giving you extra, unnecessary stress.

Control what you can and where you can’t change a situation, practice mindfulness as a way of bringing your focus back to the present moment.

Things you can control include how you approach a given situation, what you do with your time and what you choose to give your attention.

Things you can’t control include things like the news and what’s happening with covid for example. Start by closing your phone and reduce your contact with social media platforms.

Then do something mindful. This could be a breathing exercise, some meditation or something more active like mindful walking, running, cooking or even cleaning – whatever helps!

 

4) Wind down before bed

So many features on relaxation and better sleep promote wind down time – but that’s because it’s so important.

By giving yourself a couple of hours of quiet time before bed, you can really help yourself feel tired and ready for bed.

During this time, DO! Turn off your screens, reduce your exposure to blue light, have a bath or relax and practice some mediation.

And try not to browse your phone or watch something scary on Netflix.

 

5) Spend time with friends

Talking with others can really help take your mind off things. But remember not to spend your time mulling over the things that are making you feel worried – as this isn’t going to help.

Make the most of your time spent with loved ones, chat about things that make you happy, cook or eat together, do a quiz online or play a fun game together.

 

6) Keep up your exercise

Staying indoors a lot can sometimes not help our mental wellbeing. Remember to get outside and keep up your exercise to stay healthy. This could involve doing a run, going for a walk, doing some Yoga in the park or cycling in the countryside.

Make it regular and make sure when you go, to clear your mind and concentrate on the activity at hand.

 

8) Write it down

Sometimes we’re not sure what’s making us feel anxious and this in itself can make us feel anxious!

One of the best ways to help us focus our thoughts is to write them down. Try to ask yourself why you’re feeling a certain way and when it first started.

The reason this is so beneficial is because it will help you identify what you need at a particular time and where the issue is stemming from.

 

9) Be kind to yourself

One of the best ways to help yourself when you’re feeling anxious is to be kind to yourself. This means not beating yourself up because you feel worried or getting frustrated because you’re not as productive as usual or you’re finding it hard to concentrate.

We all have our good days – and our bad days – so take it one day at a time and make sure you take care of yourself.

 

10) Check you’re in the right role

If you feel like your work/life balance is taking a hit or if you’re not happy in your current position, talk to us. We have a wide range of roles in both IT and the MedTech industries.

Together, we can help you move into a role that’s right for you.

 

Take a look at our current list of jobs or get in touch:

Phone: (+353) 1890 911 211
Email: info@itcontracting.ie

News