So let’s be real, whether you have been diagnosed with a chronic anxiety disorder, or are just struggling to keep up with plans and assignments, we all experience stress and worry. While I do think everyone should go to therapy at least once in their life and learn straight from the experts, here are a couple of techniques I have learned in therapy to help me de-stress and organize my thoughts.
1) “5 4 3 2 1”
The “5-4-3-2-1” exercise is a well-known calming method, but nonetheless, it is always effective. The way this works is by finding five things that you see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This method helps bring your mind to the present and focus on reality. This practice is quick and easy and can be done anywhere.
2) Tongue against teeth
I have not often heard of this tactic, but my therapist recommended a strategy where you place the tip of your tongue on your bottom teeth or lower gum area and lightly press against it with your tongue. It takes a couple of tries to find the right spot, but somehow it instantly relaxes your body and forces any lingering tension to release.
3) Four-square lists
If you are anything like me, I tend to get very overwhelmed by my to-do lists. One of my favorite organization tackets is to make a list of everything I need to do, in my head or on a piece of paper, then on a second page, I separate the first list into four sections or squares.
The first section is things I need to get done today, the second section is things that need to get done this week, the third is chores for next week, and the fourth is typically for the month, but I usually use that square as a shopping list or a place to store important project dates. This style of lists, helps tasks to be less overwhelming. I always realize that my list is not as bad as I think it is once it is divided up.
4) Intentional rest time (trust me, you deserve it.)
I think we all know the feeling of taking a guilt nap or scrolling on TikTok to procrastinate a project. However, recently I have learned more and more that the guilt of social media scroll is never restful. I waste my free time, and work time. So next time you need to take a break, set a timer, or a full day and allow yourself to rest, and do not feel guilty about it! Whenever I take intentional time to sit down and take care of myself, (even if that means scrolling on TikTok) I always feel way less guilty and way more refreshed knowing that I had a designated time for resting.
5. Core values
This one might take a little more time and thought but it has changed my life. In one therapy session, my therapist had me go through and make a list of 20 personal values that are most important to me. (There are worksheets and videos online that can help with this.) I keep this list around, and I remember what is important to me so I know exactly how to operate and what to choose in tricky situations where I do not know what is right.
For example, one night I was really tired but I had a paper I needed to work on. I had two options: I thought about blowing it off and just writing a super basic paper, or I could suck it up and take the time to write a super genuine, thought-out, meaningful paper. In this situation, there is no right answer, so I looked to my core value list. One of my core values is authenticity, so I decided to suck it up and write a super unique and personal paper, and I am so glad I did, not just for a better grade but because that felt like the right decision to me.