Anxiety about the future: how to manage worry about what will happen

Life throws us into some situations of instability, both globally and personally, periods in which our abilities to get ahead and recover in times of difficulty are put to the test, either by learning from our mistakes or creating contexts that allow us to be happy.

But with the arrival of crises or periods of change, uncertainty arrives, and knowing how to deal with it is not easy. In fact, in this type of situation it is easy for anxiety problems to arise caused by the feeling of having to analyze every decision we make, of avoiding undesired consequences at all costs in an environment about which we know very little.

These situations of instability can be world economic crises but also problems that directly affect us, such as work problems, families or crises with the couple.

In order to know how to deal with this anxiety about what will happen in the future , here we will review several of the most useful strategies to emotionally manage uncertainty.

The keys to managing anxiety about what will happen in the future

These are several of the strategies that you can apply to your day-to-day life to prevent anxiety about the future from paralyzing you and causing you to fall into a vicious circle of intrusive thoughts and stress when making decisions.

1. Organize the day to day

The lack of organization is often a source of discomfort in periods of our lives in which we may be having a hard time due to economic, social or personal problems.

By maintaining a disciplined organization both daily and weekly, we will know what our obligations are at all times and when we can rest or relax. This exposes us less to the experience of having to constantly stop and decide what to do next (which can be useful in contexts where we need to be very flexible but also psychologically draining if repeated for many days in a row).

By organizing our daily work obligations we will also have a more organized mind, which helps us feel better and achieve greater mental health.

2. Avoid media overexposure

In times of social and economic crisis, it is common for the media to bombard us daily with bad news , which contributes to generating greater discomfort and greater concern in us.

Instead of occupying our time watching TV or listening to the negative news that the media supplies us with daily, we can spend our time doing any other activity that is more pleasant and makes us feel better.

3. Exercise regularly

Exercising frequently, three or four times a week, will help us release endorphins, which allows us to reduce the levels of stress, anxiety, nervousness or bad mood that we may have on a daily basis. It is a way of channeling tensions by reconnecting with the here and now.

There are many exercises that we can do to release accumulated anxiety, among the most notable are cycling, hiking, climbing, running around the city for several minutes or participating in sports competitions of all kinds.

4. Get enough rest and eat well

In addition to regular sports, there are some habits that we must maintain in our day to day, in various areas of our health and that will help us to be better with ourselves both physically and intellectually and emotionally.

These habits can be hygiene habits, a correct diet and a daily sleeping habit that allows us to rest enough hours during the night to be fresh the next day.

All these habits will have a very positive impact on our mood and will allow us to see life with more positivity, which in turn will help reduce stress and vital concerns.

5. Maintain an active social life

Maintaining an active social life is essential to achieving emotional well-being because, among other things, it exposes us to other ways of understanding life, other points of view that help us get out of the looping thoughts that we sometimes get into without realize . This is achieved by interacting with those people who make us happy, that is, friends, family and partners, but also by making new friends.

6. Focus on reducing relative uncertainty

Faced with the need to make decisions about what to do, to keep anxiety about what will happen in the future at bay, the most effective thing is to accept that we cannot know everything, that no matter what happens, we must assume a certain level of uncertainty. But we must focus on the degree of relative uncertainty, not in absolute terms; that is, to assess the degree to which we do not know what will happen depending on the action or strategy we opt for . In this way, we will no longer feel that vertigo at the idea of ​​not knowing what will happen, because we will value that "not knowing what is going to happen" compared to other possible options.

7. Practice relaxation exercises

Relaxation exercises help us reach more balanced states of consciousness and feel better both physically and emotionally.

These exercises can be easily learned by qualified professionals in the field of psychology, and the most common are: meditation, conscious breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation.

8. Take time for yourself

Devoting time to ourselves is also the best way to manage the daily worries that assail us and cause us discomfort, frustration or suffering. It predisposes us to pay attention to our values ​​and priorities , leaving the "autopilot mode", especially if we have problems with assertiveness and often suffer the pressure of the expectations that others place on us.

Devoting time to ourselves is an excellent way to take care of ourselves and to get to know ourselves in order to provide us with the support or care that we most need at all times.

Self-care is practiced in many ways, whether it is taking a hot bath after a long day at work, reading our favorite book at night before going to sleep, or doing any activity that is pleasurable and makes us happy.

9. Go to a psychologist

Whenever any of the above advice does not work, going to a psychology professional is the most recommended way to learn to control our worries and manage high levels of anxiety or daily stress .

A psychologist will listen to us and give us the help we need, and will also teach us various techniques to achieve a better quality of life and overcome all our obstacles.