Minimize anxiety now! Follow these five steps every night.
Dan opens the video and poses the idea that organization can help anxiety, then previews five nightly planning tips to keep anxious moments at bay.
Explains how modern technology can be overwhelming and recommends using an old-school pen and paper list to track tasks—fold it, carry it, and cross things off to reduce confusion and anxiety.
Urges checking the next day’s weather before bed so you can choose appropriate shoes and clothing and avoid uncomfortable surprises like wearing flip-flops in a downpour.
Recommends laying out clean clothes for the next day so you won’t have to search or decide in the morning, which saves time and reduces stress.
Suggests checking menus and planning meals the night before—especially if you dine out or follow a special diet—so ordering and food choices don’t become sources of anxiety.
Shares a practical tip to keep a basket or bag by the door and place everything you’ll need for the next day in it during the evening so you can grab it and go in the morning.
Walks through what a morning looks like after following the five steps—easy dressing, prepared meals, and items ready by the door—and closes by reminding viewers to spend five to ten minutes each night preparing to minimize anxious moments.
Hi, it's Dan. Have you ever thought about organization and how it may help you with anxiety? Planning ahead can be one of the best ways to reduce anxious moments. Here are five tips to help you plan ahead for the next day and keep your anxiety at a minimum. Number one, keep it basic. So many different methods of technology are hammering us with information. I lose track, was it a text? Did it come in e-mail? I can't remember all the time. And so I rely on the basics. Grab yourself a pen and paper.
It's the best way to keep a list. Fold it up, put it in your pocket, and cross things off as you go. It's so old school, but it works best for me. And a lot of people that deal with confusion and anxiety find it works better for them too. The second thing you can do to plan ahead is just check the weather. It's so simple, right? But how many of us really check the weather the night before for the next day to determine what we're gonna wear or what we're gonna need? I love wearing flip-flops, but I don't love wearing flip-flops through a torrential downpour.
I'd rather have my boots. Check the weather. So simple, it's going to make a big difference. Number three, after you've checked the weather, get your clothes ready for the next day. Lay your clothes out so that when you wake up, you don't have to dig through clothing to figure out what you're going to wear, whether it's clean or dirty. Have your clothes laid out for the next day. It's going to save you a lot of time. Fourth, food and water. What is your day going to bring? Are you going out to eat?
Does it make you anxious in restaurants when you have to order and people are talking to you and asking you questions about your life, look at the menu the night before online. If you've got a special diet, be prepared. It's one of those things that can cause anxiety is where are we going to eat? I'm so hungry, I'm hangry. If you combat those decisions the night before, you're going to have much less anxiety around food and drink. And number five are props, the things that we're going to need to carry out all our tasks throughout the day.
One thing that I've done for years is keep a laundry basket right next to the door. And all evening, as I think about it, I put the things that I'm gonna need for the next day in that basket. That way in the morning, I can just grab it and go. I don't have to scramble for all the different things that I'm gonna need. So let's just say you did follow these five steps. This is what your day will look like. You're gonna wake up, you're gonna have your list laying next to you on paper with a pen. You're gonna know what the weather's like, and all your clothes are gonna be laid out ready.
You're gonna be able to get ready quickly, head to the kitchen. You're gonna know what you're gonna need to eat throughout the day. If you need to grab an apple and go, it's there. If you need to go out to eat later in the day, you might've glanced at the menu, know what you're gonna order so you're not stressed out at the restaurant. And you've got everything you need right by the door in a bag, pack, or a basket to grab and head out the door. I know these five steps are basic, but when we're struggling with anxiety, so many times we forget the basics.
We forget the bare minimum that we need to do to prep for the day ahead. Give yourself five or 10 minutes. Get prepared for the next day. It's going to make a huge difference in how your day plays out. You'll be prepared and you'll be ahead of the anxiety. You'll minimize anxious moments and you'll feel the difference.
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