Staying Organized Helps My Anxiety

Staying organized helps my anxiety because one of the things that can be challenging, is dealing with a lack of control. Even though I know that I can't control everything, it becomes difficult when I feel like I am in a chaotic environment. It also becomes overwhelming when situations occur that I don't have control over and so, along with it, comes uncertainty.

When I feel this uncertainty and a lack of control, this is an automatic trigger for my anxiety. And so, I have to take specific steps to help me stay calm. One of the steps that is helpful is staying organized.

How I Use Staying Organized to Help My Anxiety 

When I sense a lack of control over something and I know that it is going to affect how I feel, I try to be proactive about strategies that I can use to help keep me from becoming overwhelmed with anxiety. One of those strategies is organizing myself and tasks I control.

I've found that doing this helps me to stay focused on the moment, so it essentially becomes a grounding technique to keep me from being overwhelmed with worry about what can happen in the future. It becomes about taking preventative measures to keep the anxiety at bay. Some of the strategies I use include:

1. I schedule time to deal with things I know are stressful. Whether it is work or even something in my personal life, I've found it can be helpful to block out specific times to deal with something that I know is going to make me feel uncomfortable. By doing this, I intentionally do not worry about it until it is time to.
2. I identify what is within my control. Let's say I am anxious about an upcoming project that I am working on. I will identify the aspects of the project that I can control, and I will focus on those areas specifically. I have learned over time, that focusing on areas of work that I don't have control over only serves to increase anxious feelings.
3. I organize things that I can control, especially if I feel as though I am in a chaotic situation. Life happens, as we know, and sometimes with it comes so much doubt and uncertainty that can lead to feeling overwhelmed with worry. I've found that it is in situations such as this where I experience panic attacks, have difficulty sleeping, and experience other physical symptoms that become so exhausting. Instead, I will distract myself by organizing things that I can manage. It could be something as simple as my desk or my bathroom drawer. Or, it could be tasks within my calendar so that I can manage my time effectively. The action helps me to feel settled and less anxious.

Try these strategies to help you use organization to reduce your anxiety. If you use other strategies, share them in the comments below.