Adulting Is Hard: How To Deal With Anxiety Around Adulting

Many adults struggle with the responsibilities and challenges that come with growing up. Managing finances, maintaining relationships, and balancing work can be overwhelming. It’s normal to feel anxious about these tasks. Anxiety is a common reaction when faced with so many demands. If you find yourself feeling anxious, you are not alone! There are ways to cope with this anxiety and make adulting easier.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is about staying present in the moment. It can help you stay focused and reduce anxiety by reeling in your spiraling thoughts. When you feel anxious, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and pay attention to what you are doing right now. Notice the sights, sounds, and smells around you. This can help ground you and make the anxiety feel less overwhelming.

Time = Money

One of the biggest stressors about adulting is feeling like there is never enough time in the day. If that resonates with you, think about ways you could streamline your life and save yourself time. A simple suggestion is to make sure all your bills are on autopay so you don't have to worry about missing a due date. Ordering groceries online and picking them up after work, paying for a biweekly deep cleaning service for your house, and meal-prepping large batches of food for the week are all suggestions to save chunks of time throughout your week.

Break Down Big Tasks

Facing a mountain of to-dos can be overwhelming. Break them down into smaller tasks to make them manageable. For example, let's assume you want to get your spending under control. Instead of trying to tackle your entire budget in one go, start by listing your recurrent monthly expenses. Then, move on to reviewing your income, followed by categorizing your spending. Completing each small step gives you a sense of progress and makes the overall task less daunting.

Get Your Priorities Straight

Not every task needs immediate attention. Learn to prioritize by identifying what needs to be done now versus what can wait. Create a list of tasks and rank them by urgency and importance. Focus on completing high-priority tasks first, which helps you feel less overwhelmed and gives you a clearer sense of direction.

Limit Media Intake

Excessive exposure to news and social media can amplify anxiety. If you're quickly clicking through stories, you're likely experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions cycling between funny, heartbreaking, and enraging content. Our brains are not built to absorb and process emotions that quickly. Limit your time on these platforms and be selective about the content you consume. Allocate specific times for checking news and social media, and stick to them.

Another suggestion for social media is to unfollow any creators or influencers that make you feel bad about yourself or encourage you to do unhealthy behaviors. These are negative influences on your life, and the solution is as easy as an unfollow!

Perfectionism Is Overrated

Perfectionism can be a major source of anxiety. Accept that making mistakes is a natural part of life and growth. Instead of striving for perfection, aim for progress. Celebrate your achievements along the way as well. Recognize that being good enough is often all that is needed, and this mindset can alleviate a lot of pressure.

Conclusion

Adulting is undeniably challenging, and anxiety is a natural response to its demands. This is something most adults have felt at some point in their lives, so you are not alone. If you would like my professional guidance as you navigate adulthood and all the challenges that come with it, contact me today to schedule an appointment for anxiety therapy. Together, we can make adulting a lot less stressful!