Does the end of the school year stress you out? With summer approaching do you get anxious about the change in routine? Do you find that with too much free time your anxiety increases?

All of these scenarios can be quite common for people who struggle with anxiety. It is comforting to have a routine and a sense of predictability and any changes can derail that. Many people find they are creatures of habit and thrive when they know what to expect. As a result, change of any kind can trigger anxious feelings. With change comes a certain degree of uncertainty and the unknown is scary. Yet, change is often a good thing!

Here are some tips to navigate transitions and times of change in a way that helps keep your anxiety at bay:

  1. Practice relaxation and mindfulness: Make sure that you are using relaxation to help with the physical feelings of anxiety you may be experiencing. Taking deep breaths, going for walks, listening to mindfulness recordings (i.e., Calm, Headspace etc) can help lessen your symptoms.
  2. Try to zone in on your anxious thoughts: What is going through your head? Is there evidence to show your worry thoughts are realistic? What is more likely to happen? Write these things down, it helps to see it in front of you and get the thoughts out of your head.
  3. Think about other times you’ve made changes/experienced a transition: How did it turn out? Were many of your fears unwarranted?
  4. Stick to a routine: While there can be an element of flexibility to the routine, the less time we give ourselves to ruminate the better! Build in activities such as going to the gym, spending time with friends and family and other things you enjoy. This will boost your mood and lessen your anxiety.

Alter, Stuckler & Associates are a team of registered psychologists and a social worker that provide compassionate psychological care. We have provided service to individuals, couples and families from Thornhill, Markham, Vaughan and throughout the Greater Toronto Area for more than 30 years. Have a question for our team? Contact us today.