4. Building a toolkit of strategies
There are different types of tools that target different areas of the anxiety cycle.
Relaxation strategies calm bodily sensations, cognitive skills aim to shift anxious thinking, and behavioral strategies help to reduce safety behaviors.
Different tools work for different people in different situations. It can be helpful for clients to develop a written list or toolkit of strategies that work for them.
Here are 10 evidence-based anxiety management tools (adapted from Leahy et al., 2011; Westbrook, Kennerley, & Kirk, 2011; Kennerley, 2014).
1. Controlled breathing
Controlled breathing aims to reduce physiological symptoms of anxiety by regulating breathing. Controlled breathing involves breathing deeply into your lower abdomen for four counts and out for six counts, repeating for at least a few minutes.
2. Progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation aims to relax the muscles to ease the bodily sensations of anxiety, such as muscle tension. You tense and relax each muscle group in turn, working progressively throughout the body.
3. Calming imagery
Visualization is the idea of building an image in your mind of a calm, safe place (e.g., beach, forest, familiar place). This soothes the anxiety response and distracts from anxious thinking (Hart, 2008; Welford, 2010).
4. Distraction
You can distract your brain from anxious thoughts by refocusing on another activity. This strategy can also help clients feel empowered to use their existing strengths and interests as helpful anxiety tools, for example, doing an enjoyable hobby.
5. Thought challenging
Thought challenging involves identifying evidence for and against anxious thoughts. The aim is to weigh up this evidence and then reframe the thought as a more balanced view of the situation, moving away from anxious predictions. Use this Questions for Thought Challenging worksheet to get a balanced view on a situation.
6. Compassionate self-talk
Anxiety partly stems from self-criticism, such as believing that you do not have the skills to cope (Welford, 2010).
Compassionate self-talk can help reduce anxiety and self-criticism. For example, “I’ve coped before, I can get through this.”
7. Worry time
This involves allocating specific worry time (e.g., 5–10 minutes per day). If worries pop up, these can be written down and saved until worry time. This reduces the amount of worrying and rumination. Use our Worry Bank worksheet for further practical guidance on this tool.
8. Behavioral experiments and graded exposure
These involve facing your fears by reducing safety behaviors. Behavioral experiments involve writing down the initial anxious prediction, facing the feared situation, and then reflecting on what actually happened.
This often provides evidence against the initial anxious belief. Use this Behavioral Experiment to Test Beliefs worksheet to plan out experiments. Build up to facing fears through graded exposure by breaking down the task into small steps.
This video animation explains how to build a graded exposure ladder.
What our readers think
Thanks for sharing this post.
Very useful article, many thanks
hi
I started feeling anxiety and worries as my retirement is due is year.
Kindly help me to lessen anxiety and manage stress. I am 62.
thanks
WAHID HASHMI
Hi Wahid,
I’m sorry to read you’re feeling anxiety about your approaching retirement. I’m sure it’s a time of significant change for you. I’ll note that this comment section is no substitute for the support of a professional therapist or counsellor who is trained in the appropriate methods to support you. You can find a directory of licensed therapists here (and note that you can change the country setting in the top-right corner).
For some reading you can look through on your own (or with support), I’d suggest some of the following posts in our blog, which include downloadable worksheets and reflections you can use:
Workplace Stress Management: 11 Best Strategies & Worksheets – https://positivepsychology.com/workplace-stress-management/
16 Stress-Management Activities and Worksheets to Help Clients Beat Stress – https://positivepsychology.com/stress-management-activities-worksheets/
I hope this helps a little, and I wish you all the best.
– Nicole | Community Manager