It’s challenging to take care of you and attend to your responsibilities as a parent, career person and spouse. What’s even more difficult is doing all that and having to deal with anxiety, and always feeling like your world is caving in isn’t any fun.
This is why you need to have strategies in place for managing your anxiety as a working parent who’s busy and committed to your family. You need to be careful that you don’t work so hard that your needs come last and your stress and worry get out of control. Learn about additional ways to help you get a hold of your anxiety and live a happy and joyful life.
Set Boundaries
You don’t always need to raise your hand to work overtime and try to do it all at home too. Set boundaries so your calendar never reaches a point where you’re over committing yourself to too many activities and obligations all at once. You have to learn to say no when you’re already booked for the week and can’t afford to take on any additional jobs. Do the same at home by asking your spouse and kids to pitch in and help with chores. The key is not to let people walk all over you and run your life. Don’t let others tell you what’s best for you because only you have those answers.
Get Professional Help
There’s nothing wrong with reaching out and saying you need help and that you can’t do it all on your own. Find a good therapist in your area to talk to or apply for an emotional support animal letter and get a new furry friend to help you manage your anxiety better. There are a lot of resources out there for you to take advantage of, but you have to be proactive and seek them out if you want to reap the benefits. Discussing your medical condition with a trained professional or having a support animal by your side may be all you need to start feeling more like yourself. All you have to do is speak up and be willing to admit your anxiety is at a level that’s no longer healthy for you and that you need help.
Talk about it with your Family
Be honest with your loved ones and let them know what’s going on with you. Don’t be afraid to open up and share how you feel and what you’re going through. There’s no reason to be ashamed or bottle up your emotions inside when you have people who love and support you wanting to help. The better they understand what you’re going through, the easier it’ll be for them to step up and provide assistance. Have regular family meetings and let them ask questions so they can learn more about how your anxiety is impacting your life. Also, speak up and say what it is you need from them so they don’t have to sit around guessing.
Educate yourself
Knowledge is a powerful tool when it comes to keeping your anxiety at a tolerable level. One way to help yourself is to learn more about your condition and tips for keeping it under control. Read stories about others who are dealing with anxiety and what they’re doing to cope. This may help you better see why it’s so important you don’t overdo it at the office or commit yourself to too many activities in your personal life. You’ll likely discover that rest and sleep are very important to keeping your anxiety in check. Understanding what anxiety is and how it affects your life will give you the tools you need to work through your diagnosis and still be able to attend to your self-care, work and home life. The more you know, the less guesswork and assumptions you have to make about how to move forward.
Speak up at Work
Tell your boss when your workload is too much for you and why it’s important you cut back. Be honest and explain you have some health issues that are important you attend to and manage if you’re going to produce your best work at the office. Don’t let people burden you with extra stress when you know it isn’t good for your wellbeing. You have to give yourself permission to use your voice in this situation and stand up for yourself. A great idea is to ask if you can work from home a few days a week, which will help you lower your anxiety and allow you to have more work-life balance. This will be especially helpful if your commute is stressful and you have young kids you’re caring for.
Use your Free Time Wisely
It’s probably not the best idea to go out drinking with your friends in your free time when you have anxiety and are trying to juggle work and a home life too. It may be better for your health to stay in and read a book with a warm cup of tea or go to the spa with a friend. Use your evenings and time on the weekends wisely and participate in activities that improve your health instead of hurt it and set you back. Have a list of interesting hobbies and healthy ideas handy that you can do when you’re feeling bored or have some down time. This way you will see for yourself that life is more enjoyable when you’re taking care of you and not putting yourself in harm’s way or burning the candle at both ends.
Conclusion
Don’t beat yourself up if you’re someone who suffers from anxiety because it’s more prevalent than you realize. Take back control of your life by getting ahead of your angst and putting measures in place that allow you to deal with it and live your life fully. It’s never a bad idea to open up to others and seek professional help when you can no longer manage it all on your own.