How To Beat Procrastination When You’re Feeling Anxious
If you're like most people, there are times when you find yourself worrying about the future or planning for it – whether it's a big move or an upcoming vacation. But what often happens during those times is that we let these thoughts distract us from actually getting anything done. In this article, we'll look at some ways to beat procrastination when you're feeling anxious.
1. Get a good night’s sleep
If you’re feeling anxious and you find yourself procrastinating, then getting enough sleep may be your best bet. According to a recent study, getting a good night’s sleep can help reduce the effects of anxiety-causing stress. The study was done by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder who looked at how various factors affect people’s ability to fall asleep. The researchers found that people who had trouble sleeping had more trouble concentrating, made fewer decisions correctly, experienced more cognitive impairment and were less productive at work than those who slept well.
Getting a good night’s sleep is a way to beat procrastination when you’re feeling anxious. It can also help you feel better after a stressful day or week.
2. Eat a healthy breakfast
The key to doing so is not eating too much, and instead making sure that you get all of your vitamins and nutrients in one place.
For example, if you’re trying to make sure that your morning meal is nutritious and gives you the energy boost that you need, the best thing to do is opt for eggs over oatmeal or cereal. Eggs have protein, which helps people feel full longer, while oatmeal or cereal only has carbohydrates.
As a result, if you start your day with an egg dish instead of oatmeal or cereal, then by lunchtime or dinnertime, chances are that you’ll be feeling more energetic than ever before!
3. Take a hot shower or bath
When you’re feeling anxious, the last thing you want to do is get up and get into a hot shower or bath. But if you do, it can provide some relief from the anxiety.
The heat of the water will make you feel more alert and awake, which will help reduce your anxiety. The steam from the water will also help clear your sinuses, which can help with nasal congestion caused by stress or allergies. This can be especially helpful if you tend to suffer from sinus issues such as congestion or allergies.
So next time you experience feelings of anxiety and pressure, try taking a hot shower or bath instead of doing something else that makes you feel worse about yourself and your situation.
4. Do something fun
The best way to beat procrastination when you're feeling anxious is to do something fun. It's a simple but effective trick, and it's definitely worth trying if you're struggling with your work right now.
Just think about what you like to do in your spare time, and then put that activity into action. If you love playing basketball or going out for drinks with friends, try getting in the gym and practicing your jump shot or going out with friends instead of staying home by yourself.
The point isn't that you need to do these things all the time—it's just that this will help you feel better about yourself as an individual while also helping you focus on the task at hand.
5. Drink some water
It will help you feel more focused and confident while tackling your to-do list, which will lead to better productivity.
Procrastination is a common problem among workers, who often struggle with anxiety. This can make it difficult for them to get things done, especially if they aren’t sure what they need to do or how long it will take.
In order to overcome this issue, try drinking half your body weight in ounces of water every hour for a week. Then increase the amount by one ounce every other day until you have reached your goal weight in ounces. You should notice that this method helps you feel more focused and confident while tackling tasks on your list because it will help you feel physically refreshed and mentally alert.
6. Exercise
If you're feeling anxious, it can be tempting to put off important tasks, like writing that report or working on your novel. But exercising can help you clear your mind and get your priorities back on track. That's because exercise increases dopamine levels in the brain—and as you know from personal experience, if you're feeling sluggish or distracted, dopamine will make it even harder to focus and get things done.
So whether you're starting a new job at an unfamiliar company or trying to get that report done before next week's meeting, exercise can help you regain control over yourself so that you can finish what needs doing without getting sidetracked by negative feelings.
7. Meditate for 20 minutes before bedtime
Meditation is an ancient practice that has been practiced for thousands of years. It has been shown to be an effective way to reduce anxiety and stress, improve focus and concentration, relieve pain and more.
In our modern world where we are constantly bombarded with information, it can be difficult to find time for ourselves. But when you do find the time to meditate, you'll likely find that it helps you sleep better at night and gives you more energy throughout the day.
The benefits of meditation have been demonstrated in studies across many different cultures, including those who practice yoga or other forms of meditation regularly. Studies show that even short periods of meditation can have a beneficial effect on your physical health and wellbeing over time,
8. Face your fears (like jumping into cold water)
It’s the first step in learning to relax and trust yourself, which is key to being able to accomplish anything.
The best way to do this is by using the emotion of anxiety as a tool for your own transformation. When you feel anxious, it’s because you’re afraid of something—whether it’s failure or some other fear. That same fear can be used as an opportunity for growth and change if you learn how to harness it properly.
The first step is letting go of whatever your fear might be—for example, if there’s a fear of public speaking, maybe you could try reading up on how others have overcome their anxieties about speaking in front of large groups. The next step is facing that fear head-on.
9. Go outside and/or get some fresh air or have a routine
When you do this, your mind is less likely to wander into negative thought patterns and more likely to focus on the task at hand.
Another way to beat procrastination when you’re feeling anxious is by getting into a routine of doing something every day that helps you feel more in control over your life—like exercising every morning or taking a walk around the block before lunchtime each day. This helps reduce anxiety by giving us something concrete we can focus on, like exercise or our routines, and gives us structure for the day so that anxiety doesn’t creep in when things aren’t going smoothly according to plan (or whatever plan we’ve set up).
10. Write about your worries in a journal
Writing down your worries is a little bit scary. You might feel like you’re putting yourself out there, and that you’re being too honest with yourself, but it’s also a great way to beat procrastination when you feel anxious.
The thing is, when we're anxious, our minds are often focused on what's going wrong or lacking in the world around us. That can make all of our thoughts seem negative and overwhelming, so writing down your worries can help you get perspective and see things from a different angle.
Plus, it just feels good to get everything out in the open—you'll be able to see what kind of influence your thoughts have on your life and how they affect other people. It's also helpful for getting rid of unnecessary stressors in your life that aren't worth worrying about!
Know your triggers, know the amount of time it takes to complete a project (and work out if you can start on something else while you're waiting to finish), and be aware of your surroundings. All these factors together will hopefully make it much easier to stop procrastinating when anxiety begins to creep in.
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