Routines: The Unsexy, but Very Helpful, Anxiety Hack

“Routine” is a word that’s gotten a bad rap lately. People use it to mean “boring,” even “tedious.” But routines can be an incredible mental health tool, too.

Sometimes, when you’re struggling with anxiety, it’s easy to get stuck in an anxiety swirl without ever moving forward. You might know that feeling: the one where your brain spins around and around from one thing you’re worried about to the next, bouncing from to-do-list task to unanswered email to looming deadline and back again.

That’s where having a routine, some daily habits can come in handy.

There’s a reason we’re devoted to routines here at Myrth and why we’re committed to helping others establish good routines. Research shows that routines are a great way to help combat anxiety.

Routines will help prevent decision paralysis, start a snowball effect that can help your day be more productive, provide you with a sense of security, and build a strong foundation for your other life activities.

If you already know what you’re going to start with every day, you don’t have to spend energy deciding where you’re going to start. You can conserve that energy for making other choices later.

Daily Habits Prevent Decision Paralysis

Ever have one of those days where you look at your lengthy to do list, and you’re so overwhelmed by how much is on there that you can’t figure out where to get started? You sit there, staring at all of the possible things on your list of tasks, unable to choose any of them. That’s what’s called “decision paralysis,” and it’s pretty common, especially among people living with anxiety.

Having a routine can help combat that decision paralysis. If you already know what you’re going to start with every day, you don’t have to spend energy deciding where you’re going to start. You can conserve that energy for making other choices later.

Daily Habits Start a Snowball Effect

Sometimes, we just need to build a little momentum to get rolling. It’s what productivity experts call the Snowball Effect.

A routine can start that snowball. If you have a set of small tasks that you know you’re going to start with every day, you can get rolling on those things right out of the gate and build momentum. Then you use the momentum from those small tasks to start tackling larger tasks, and before you know it, your anxiety isn’t preventing you from getting work done anymore.

Daily Habits Provide Security

One of the hardest parts of living with anxiety is the constant sense that something is coming, you don’t know what it is, and you can’t prepare for it. Your conscious mind might know that’s not the case, but that doesn’t stop the rest of you from feeling perpetually panicked.

A daily routine can provide some security. For at least part of your day, you will know what’s coming, when, and how. That’s why experts recommend routines for everybody from small children to the elderly.

if you want to make it easier to make big life changes, it helps to start with small things. They’re not exciting things, but they’re important things.

Daily Habits Build a Strong Foundation

Having a baseline routine reinforces other routines. When our days have structure, we are less likely to make impulsive choices that are not in our best interests, and we are more likely to stick with the healthy habits we have established.

That means that if you want to make it easier to make big life changes, it helps to start with small things. They’re not exciting things, but they’re important things. Getting enough sleep, making sure to move your body regularly, eating food that will nourish your body, and taking care of your mind and spirit with meditation or prayer or spending time with loved ones is crucial. If you plan out a daily or weekly schedule that will help you establish these small routines, then building on top of them later will be easier.

What does your daily or weekly routine look like? Are you looking to make changes to that routine? Please share with us and let’s grow together!