Feeling anxious can range from mild to severe, but whatever the case, it isn't a nice feeling. Symptoms of anxiety can be a fast beating heart, confusion, forgetfulness, being scared for an unknown reason, sweating, and even being sick. Everybody experiences it differently, and some attacks can be worse than others. Throughout the pandemic many experienced heightened stresses and more frequent anxiety attacks. Being a businesses owner can also cause increased levels of stress. You are responsible for employees if you have them, and keeping your business going. Showing up every day for your clients and responsibilities can be draining if not balanced properly. Below, you’ll find a few solutions to help you feel better immediately. If you’re having a full blown panic attack, it should pass within 20 minutes. If it doesn't, you may need to seek medical attention.
Start Taking Deep Breaths
Start taking deep, slow breaths. Don’t forget to count to make sure they are doing what they should be. The 7/11 breathing technique can really help - you breathe in for 7 seconds and out for 11 seconds. Just keep practicing this until you’re more and less hitting the correct seconds.
Be Mindful of What’s Going On
You most likely know you’re having a bout of anxiety, so stay mindful. This has likely happened before, and you know you're not in danger even though it may not feel like it right now. These feelings will pass soon. The key here is to regain your control. As anxiety is often times caused by a chemical rush in the brain. Slow your thoughts and calm your mind.
Think Of Something Happy
Think of something that makes you happy if you can. Maybe you can look at pictures of a beloved pet. Picture a peaceful place in your mind. Close your eyes and even imagine a place you've never been before but can imagine would be peaceful.
Follow The 333 Rule
Find and name 3 things you can see, and 3 things you can hear. Then, move 3 parts of your body. This is a mental trick that many people report brings them back to the moment and helps them to clear their mind.
Clear Out Your Environment
Sometimes, clutter can add to the feelings of anxiety. Not only that, clearing things out could potentially help you to focus on something other than the anxiety and feel better. I always say a clean home leads to a clear mind.
Exercise
You might not feel like leaving the house, but you can get a little exercise wherever you are. Jameela Jamil likes to put on silly exercise/dance videos and copy the moves. She says it helps to relieve stress and gives her some exercise. You could try that, or you could simply do some jumping jacks, or whatever you feel like doing. Stretching is also a great way to relieve tension. See if you can expend some of that nervous energy. If you can get into a good routine with exercise, you should find it helps feelings of anxiety over time, too.
Focus On What You’re Putting Into Your Body
If you’re feeling anxious, you should focus on what you’re putting into your body. Drink some water, and say no to caffeine. Coffee and even tea with small amounts of caffeine could make you feel worse by giving you heart palpitations. You could consider taking some high quality organic vitamins or supplements from a place like Thrive Market. These supplements usually have a holistic approach to health, so as well as helping anxiety they may also help issues like arthritis and inflammation. Over time, you should find your health improves as well as your mindset.
Laugh
The last thing you’re probably thinking of doing is laughing, but why not put on a favorite episode of a sitcom, or watch dogs doing funny things on YouTube? Something like this could give you something else to focus on and ensure you start to feel better.
Anxiety can feel like the end of the world, but the above ideas could help you to relieve some symptoms fast. The goal is to find something that works best for you. Even if you have to try them all before one seems to fit. Try speaking with a therapist as discovering the route cause can help you understand why some situations, actions, or emotions are a trigger. If you are a business owner try outsourcing some of the tasks that dig in to your free time or make you feel overwhelmed, like bookkeeping, payroll processing, multimedia marketing etc. This will allow you to have a better work/life balance and the freedom to focus on the tasks you enjoy in your business.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it. If you want to find more articles like this, make sure to follow along by subscribing. If you are looking for Business Consulting services check out the services page above.