How High Achievers Can Manage Stress and Anxiety for Peace of Mind

You’re an ambitious person who prefers to stay busy. But like many high achievers, you deal with stress and anxiety on a near-daily basis. You feel happiest when you’re juggling different projects and focusing on professional development.

Yet trying to do everything perfectly can take a toll on your mental health. Many high-achieving individuals find that stress affects them deeply, and it can be hard to shake. Yet you can achieve your goals without living with the weight of anxiety.

These tips will help you find balance in your life.

Establish a Routine

If your schedule always feels disorganized, and you have loose boundaries around your professional life, you’re more likely to feel anxious. Establishing a routine is key.

If you work outside of your home, don’t bring work home with you. Do your best to finish your to-do list at the office. And if you’re working from home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, try to stick to working during typical office hours.

When you work remotely, it’s all too easy to catch yourself working well past the end of the official workday.

Take Time to Reflect

Sometimes, you may not even be able to pinpoint the reason you feel anxious. That’s why it’s so important to take time to reflect on your emotions and figure out the roots of your fears.

You may realize that you’ve been building up some of your worries over issues that probably won’t affect you in the long run. Or you may find that you’ve misidentified the source of your anxiety. Once you’ve determined the cause of your anxiety, you can take steps to address the issue.

Breath Deeply

Deep breathing can work wonders. While it won’t cure anxiety, it can certainly calm you down during stressful moments. You can breathe in and out while counting to ten, or you can even take a few minutes to meditate if you’re feeling stressed out at home.

Downloading a free meditation app can be a great way to practice deep breathing with guidance. As you breathe in, you’ll feel the tension in your muscles ease up. This is a temporary fix for anxiety, but it’s something that you can do anywhere.

Practice Self-Care

Even if you have little free time right now, think about how you can practice self-care and incorporate relaxation into your daily routine. You don’t have to do anything elaborate to practice self-care. Something as simple as getting cozy with a cup of tea and a novel can help you forget about your worries for a while.

Exercise is also a fantastic form of self-care, so if you want to get a little fresh air while you work out, head outdoors for a run or a brisk walk. You’ll return home feeling better than when you left!

Adjust Your Perspective

Remember, no one spends more time thinking about you than you. Therefore, other people might not pick up on all the things you feel insecure about. It’s easy to feel like people notice every time you make a mistake, but this is likely untrue. It's tough to keep this in perspective sometimes! If you spend a lot of time criticizing yourself and dwelling on negative thought patterns because you assume others hold unfavorable opinions of you, rest assured that most people are focused on their own anxieties.

—

Are you struggling to manage your anxiety and stress? For many high achievers, talk therapy can be beneficial. Reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first appointment.