4. ORGANIZE -PLAN –SCHEDULE
Having a good routine, staying focused and being busy should be at the top of the list for every chronic worrier.
ORGANIZE
Being organized means having your closet, cabinets, makeup, toiletries, medicines, drawers, inventory, car, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, basement, etc everything in proper order. Sounds very difficult to do and it also requires time and energy. But it has a great pay-off. Organizing helps you break down your worries. Unorganized people have stacks and piles of things which appear like garbage and it gives way to anxiety and worry. Organizing will help you see the reality of things and will put them in proper context. It’s the quickest way to reduce the intensity of your worry or anxiety.
The more organized a person is the more he’s in-charge of his life. Being unorganized is trait of a worrier. Half your day is spent in locating your things. Islam also teaches us organization by 5 time prayers, fasting, Zakat, Hajj.
PLAN
Planning is a good thing to do when you have to tackle a million things. Whether you are student, working mom, at home mom, house wife, teacher etc, organizing helps you make several smaller plans for actions.
In case of a home maker, they worry about the smallest things in life like what to cook that day. Believe it or not ladies worry about this matter every day. Best thing to do is plan a week in advance and discuss it with your family so you can do your groceries in advance and will be calm and relaxed the following day that everything is planned and agreed upon with the resources available in the fridge.
Students worry when they have a term paper due or a class project or a final exam. This will not be as worrisome if they plan it beforehand. Don’t postpone your work till the last minute. As this will affect the quality of your work plus you won’t be sure that you will make it in time for the deadline.
Another thing people often worry about is performances and presentations in front of peers. For school, jobs, and our social lives, we frequently have to make presentations, speak publicly, or talk to friends about something difficult. One way to reduce worry in these situations is to rehearse exactly what you are going to say and do as many times as you need to feel comfortable.
One thing people often worry about are unforeseen circumstances. Sometimes there are things happening in our lives that are out of our control, such as getting hired for a job. One way to cope with situations like these is to makes plans for different possible outcomes. Make a plan as detailed as you need to determine your course of action if you do or do not get the job, which hopefully will take away some of the worry.
SCHEDULE
Who says that only school life should have schedules. Having a schedule always pays off. It gives you a sense of direction. The problem arises when you have so much to do in so little time. Maintain a diary. Get a “to-do list” app on your cell phone. Best way to schedule is first starting by planning a day in advance, then gradually take it to weekly, monthly and yearly.
Making resolutions at new years is a good thing to do. From there you can divide your goals or tasks by months. Like losing weight, being fit and active.
Get associated with websites like 43things, weight watchers, livestrong etc. will keep you motivated throughout the year. Best way to keep stress at bay is to prioritize your chores.
When you wake up tomorrow start doing something right away, and keep busy all day. Taking action by doing something, almost anything, will help you work through your anxiety. Sometimes it’s doing the dishes or working in your garden. Other times it’s reading or meditating. Just sitting around and thinking about your worries won’t make them go away.
5. POISE
In the end it’s all about maintaining a balance. People who have poise handle situations in a better way. You can handle pressure without showing it. Staying cool and calm in dire situations makes you a steady human being. You should always have presence of mind and be self assured. Confidence and practicality is the key in becoming a composed and well organized person.
To be poised one should Meditate daily. Just 5 to 10 minutes a day is valuable aid.
When you worry your brain has to work twice as hard so it’s best that you keep your calm. You need to focus on only what you are doing rather than what you plan to do later. In that way you lose your focus and don’t even finish your current job properly.
Mindfulness is a stress relieving technique which means “getting out of your head” and “being aware of your immediate surroundings,” using all your senses. The importance of being mindful, isn’t to distract yourself. It’s to support observing your thoughts and accepting them. And learning how to keep a balance.
Here is a formula suggested by Dr. John Haggai the author of “how to win over worry”:
PRAISE + POISE+ PRAYER =PEACE
Cultivate calmness and peace by relaxation exercises. Each group of muscles are first tensed and then relaxed. By focusing on muscle relaxation, the cycle of worry is broken. Within a week it is possible to reduce the level of worrying.
CONCLUSION
In the end worry and anxiety can be controlled by your inner power. Believe in your ability to snap out of worry. Accept problems as a pattern of life and turn them to your advantage. Remember these famous quotes
“Every problem contains the seeds of its own solution,”
“The mind that is anxious about the future is miserable.”
Thinking about all the things that could go wrong doesn’t make life any more predictable. You may feel safer when you’re worrying, but it’s just an illusion. Focusing on worst-case scenarios won’t keep bad things from happening. It will only keep you from enjoying the good things you have in the present. So if you want to stop worrying, start by tackling your need for certainty and immediate answers. Perhaps the solution to stop worrying is condensed in Reinhold Neibuhr’s prayer.
“Grant me the strength to change the things that need changing, the courage to accept things that cannot be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference.”