8 Ways to Not Let Anxiety Prevent Productivity

Anxiety and productivity don't go very well together, do they? As a person with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I often have days where I dwell on a particular fear or worry of mine to the point that it interferes with my daily activities.

For example, I tend to be a hypochondriac, where I anxiously hyper-analyze my well-being. I expect the worst when it comes to hearing back about medical test results. While I’m waiting to receive them or while I’m feeling certain problematic symptoms, the phrase “What if it’s a terminal illness?” is sometimes the most thought-about question of the day. Yikes! 

Sometimes my fear and anxiety paralyze me, so I can’t manage to be productive or get my work done. On those really anxious days, I can get so miserably distracted! Occasionally, I’ll even have irrational thoughts like, “I can’t plan my next trip until I know that the test result isn’t cancer. Because, obviously, if it’s cancer, treatments will likely interfere with the planned trip.” Blah, blah, blah, stupid, stupid, stupid.

Though I believe I’m very self aware, there are still many times when I genuinely believe my biggest issue is the fact that the test results I’m waiting on might indicate a serious illness, rather than the more rational fact that my biggest issue is definitely just anxiety. I’m pretty gentle with myself because I understand how serious surgeries and chronic illnesses have traumatized me into believing I’ll continue to have health hardships. I understand why my brain is riddled with anxiety, however, understanding it doesn’t make dealing with it any less frustrating. 

Because of the persistent “what if” thoughts that occupy my mind most days, it can be a real challenge to stay focused on work and other important parts of my life. Anxiety is the biggest roadblock on my personal path of productivity. On the days that responsibilities require my attention, but anxiety is pulling the focus in another direction, I must follow a list of tips to not allow anxiety to prevent me from being productive. Here is how to deal with anxiety so you can be more productive at home and work.

Anxiety and Productivity: How to Manage Anxiety to be More Productive at Work and Home

I redirect my negative thoughts into positive ones.

When I notice I am spending too much time worrying, I replace the thought, “I am so anxious about…”  with “I am so grateful for…” or “I am so excited about…” For example, if I am anxiously waiting for medical results, I’m usually fixated on the fact that the results could be bad. Instead, I’ll speak out loud, “I am excited to hear my results and figure out what is going on in my body!” or “I am grateful that I have access to great healthcare and a support system to help me through this process.”

I put my phone in a different room.

Our little rectangular devices are a distraction for many, many reasons. For someone with intense anxiety, they are a great tool for searching what you are worrying about. Today, it’s so easy to immediately reach for the phone to try to solve a problem, but researching things we are worried about often leads down a rabbit hole of scary information. It’s risky for someone with health anxiety to research their symptoms because, more often than finding peace of mind, we find all of the worst case scenarios for potentially harmless symptoms. No matter what you’re worried about, researching that particular topic too much can lead to many other distractions that turn into an hour or more of your precious time. Putting your phone out of reach is one helpful way to deal with anxiety and find more focus.

I set a timer to allow myself to worry for a specific time period before returning to work.

Setting a loud, blaring reminder to shut off those worries is an interactive way to hold yourself accountable. When I give myself permission to fixate on my worries for twenty minutes, I let myself talk to a friend, search for solutions, or allow my mind to wander to those worst case scenarios. But once that timer goes off, I try to visualize all of the negativity floating away, and I try to not bother anyone else about my problems. Spending some time analyzing my worries is healthy. Spending too much time dwelling on them just feeds the anxiety and grows it into a bigger problem.

I practice mindfulness as a reset.

Meditation is a great tool for dealing with anxiety. However, silent, unmoving meditation is really challenging for me when I am anxious. Though this is still a great way to rest your mind if it works for you, I would recommend introducing further distractions that can take your mind and body away from the thing you’re worried about. Engage all of your senses to focus on the present moment. Use your hands by washing the dishes or folding laundry. Actively relax the muscles you are tensing; drop those shoulders and unclench that jaw. Move your body on a walk, in a gentle yoga session, or during a challenging workout that doesn’t allow your attention to be spent on anything other than sweat and physical exhaustion!

I open up about my anxiety to people I trust.

Talking with others helps me gain a new perspective from someone who is not crumbling with anxiety. When I can see that my boyfriend, best friend, sister, or therapist is completely unconcerned with something I’m fretting over, this rationalizes my thoughts. It can be really easy for me to go on and on in circles about an issue, so I trust my support system to hold me accountable by ending the conversation for me. The people I confide in will loop the conversation back around to a positive one with rational reminders when I’m struggling to produce those thoughts myself. Speaking my anxiety out loud to an active listener allows me to empty the negative thoughts from my mind and away from me so I can get back to work.

I channel my anxiety into energy and motivation.

Anxiety can feel like a big threat. People often have a fight or flight response when under stress and experiencing worries or panic. Your body has physical reactions to anxiety, as well, like muscle tension, sweat, a rapid heart rate, or feeling unable to sit still. These are all similar to how caffeine can make people feel. Pretend your anxiety is a cup of coffee and let it fuel you to get shit done.

I surround myself with motivating people, high achievers, and positive thinkers.

If you are often hearing positive words from others and are watching others stay productive, you’re likely to mimic those actions. Alternatively, you’re going to be brought down by others who are negative and do not work hard. You have control over who you spend time with, talk on the phone with, and whose content you read on social media. If you choose to listen and talk to others who inspire you, you are more likely to act like them. 

I accept my anxiety as a part of me.

Some days, my first instinct is to run away from negative emotions. But I always remind myself that negative emotions, like anxiety, serve a purpose. Anxiety is here to protect us, even if it’s painful, uncomfortable, or a little too over-excited to protect us. Instead of fighting it and trying to change or fix it, I try to accept anxiety as part of the journey while I go about my day.

Be gentle with yourself. We all experience setbacks that prevent our productivity. We all have days where we just can’t seem to get anything done because anxiety impacts our productivity. Hopefully, these tricks will help lead you to success, even on your anxious days.

Mental Health Blog Disclaimer

I am not a medical professional, therapist, or mental healthcare professional. The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only, comes from my own personal experiences, and may be read, interpreted, and practiced at your own risk. Do not rely on this information as a substitute to medical advice or treatment from a healthcare professional.