Worry and anxiety have far-reaching consequences when it comes to your ability to get things done.  You’re likely familiar with what happens to your body and mood when you simply worry about remembering to do something.  You may feel twitchy or tingly or like your mind is racing.  You may become irritable.  Less familiar to you may be the amount of distraction worry and anxiety cause you.  This distraction both prevents you from adequately attending to all that needs to be done and very likely hinders you from getting started on the very activity that’s the source of your anxiety.  This is the cruel nature of anxiety.  It rarely serves to positively motivate action.  When you’re feeling anxious and, as a result are distracted from getting work done, try these steps to get back on track.

• Acknowledge what’s happening.  When you’re feeling stressed about a particular task or project and having a hard time getting things done as a result, some honest self-talk may be all you need to get over the worry and back to work.  Fill in the blank: “I’m feeling anxious right now because of (fill in the blank).”  It helps to be specific and say it out loud.  For example, “I’m feeling anxious right now because this is an important project for work and I’m worried I won’t do well.”  Saying this out loud can help your rational brain hear what’s going on and step in to remind you that you won’t do well if you don’t get started and getting started requires taking action.  Talk yourself out of your worry.
• Make a plan.  It’s easy to churn anxiously over a project when it’s just a title and lacks definition.  Check your worry about getting the project done or doing it well and instead make a decision to make a plan for what you need to do to get it done.  What steps do you need to take?  What order do they need to be in?  Do you have the resources you need to achieve each step?  How much time do you need for each part?  Most of your worry resides in the unknowns of a project or task.  Identify and clarify those unknowns to kill the worry.
• Do something.  No matter how small that something is… Do it!  So often the key to getting over the worry and back to work is getting started.  Completing one task is the victory and sure defeat the havoc anxiety creates for your productivity.
• Get help. If you find that your worry or anxiety is more chronic (long in duration, high in intensity and impacting your ability to live the life you’d like) than situational or task related (tied to a project, goal, or task at hand) make sure to ask for professional help. Reach out to a therapist, psychologist or counselor who can give you additional strategies to understand and conquer your worry and anxiety. Feeling good has a majorly positive impact on productivity.

Simply Placed Professional Organizers and Productivity Consultants can help you develop the behaviors and systems to reduce anxiety and the distraction it causes.  Curious about how you can get more done with less stress?  Contact us.