Anxious for no apparent reason? It may be time to press “reset”

According to several large scale surveys, up to one in three adults is affected by an anxiety disorder during their lifetime. Anxiety symptoms include tense muscles, dry mouth, irritability, making it hard to focus. It can randomly pop up at the most unexpected times.

Instead of hoping our anxiety will go away by itself, it's more helpful to reset our body, mind, and plan. And it takes less than ten minutes.

Anxiety can warn you that you need to take a break.

• Get up and stretch your body. It will help you relax.
• Then, drink a glass of water. Dehydration looks similar to anxiety, such as having a dry mouth or feeling lightheaded. It can also lead to tiredness.

Five minutes of journaling can work wonders to figure out the cause of your anxiety. It is a quick way to reflect on your thoughts and emotions.

• How are you feeling?
• Can you put it down in words?
• When did the anxiety appear?
• What is worrying you now?

Anxiety can come from feeling stuck. We might just need a little confidence boost to get better. Resetting your plan means to stop worrying about the overall plan and to focus on the present.

Ask yourself what is the one thing you can do right now to make progress. Choose an action that doesn't require too much mental energy or planning.