Anxiety is something most of us live with. In my case, it is caused by lots of things: poor sleep, little exercise, a changing world I no longer recognize, and the aches and pains of aging. The main stressor is frustration, usually caused by my computer.
I did not grow up in the computer age. I learned to type in high school, so my comfort with a keyboard was never a problem. But learning to use a computer was a painful transition in the beginning. Learning the programs necessary for successful marketing when I became an author was even worse.
My point is: anxiety has affected my productivity as a writer. Instead of two novels and one novella a year (a modest goal), I struggled to write one novel this past year and it still isn’t ready for publication. I attribute this to several major blows: a beloved pet died last June; my publisher closed her business in September; I continue to be saddened by many things I’ve seen in the news, and every time I try to learn something new on the computer it’s like walking uphill with a stone in my shoe..
So what have I been doing about it? Note: This is not a recommendation. It’s what works for me.
A small dose of melatonin after several nights of poor sleep seems to give me a full night. I’ve been walking every day. I watch about two hours of television a night on a streaming service and it isn’t news. I keep up with what’s going on through a couple of podcasts and people I follow on social media because I am not an ostrich. I take Tylenol for the aches and pains. And I let my husband figure out how to deal with the shiny new marketing programs for authors I’m supposed to use.
I have also been exploring Mindfulness and this I will recommend. Mindfulness pulls your mind back from anything negative and teaches you how to focus on the immediate: what you are doing, tasting, seeing, hearing at that moment. Remember, I am retired and I have the luxury of immediately dealing with whatever is stressing me. Not everyone can do that.
I also have a new cat. Pets, namely cats or dogs, are wonderful stress relievers when you are feeling anxious. Will I be more productive in the coming year? I hope so because I still have stories to tell. But knowing I have a plan for dealing with anxious moments is immensely helpful.
Are you feeling anxious? What has helped you deal with stressful moments?