Start with feet, breath, and what is here. Put worry on paper, adjust one thing in your day.
Short answer. Start with your body. Put your feet down, lengthen the out-breath, look at what is here, and move one nagging worry from your head onto paper. Then choose one tiny move and leave the whole plan for later.
In short:
Anxiety wears many skins. A tight chest, a fizzing stomach, restless limbs, or thoughts that sprint ahead of you before the day even begins are all versions of it, and sometimes it hides inside perfectionism or sudden avoidance. Name one ordinary thing in front of you and describe it to yourself. That quick turn toward your senses can drop the volume inside by a few clicks.
People ask where anxiety ends and low mood begins. I look at pace in the body, whether the day shrinks around the feeling or stretches you thin, and how agitated the mind sounds. If that distinction would help your next move, read this longer take: Am I depressed or anxious?.
Words matter. Sometimes the right word opens a conversation at home or in a clinic. If Kannada is easier, these are plain terms you can use: What are anxiety symptoms, in Kannada words you can use?.
During a spike, work with what you can touch. Feet down. Breathe out for longer than you breathe in, letting the out-breath slow the body by a notch while your eyes quietly find a few blue or green things in the room. Hold a cup or touch the floor.
After the crest, do a tiny post-check. When did you last eat, how much caffeine is in you, how much alcohol is still in your system, and how you slept last night or the one before. Give your body something steady like water and something salty or protein, then change one small thing for the next few hours, such as pace or screen noise.
Overthinking is a loop that promises control and seldom delivers. Draw it onto paper. Set a small container for it, such as ten minutes after lunch, and keep the rest of your day for the tasks that actually move life forward because worry happily swells to fill any space you donate. Timer on, pen down when it rings.
I like a plain facts-versus-fears table on paper, two columns, nothing fancy. Decision loops also shrink when you decide inside a window; for example 5:00 to 5:20, then park it. Nights are noisy, so leave big calls for daylight. If coffee spikes the body into jitters, this explains why and what to try: Is it normal to feel anxious after drinking coffee?.
Give yourself a script for the next step. For example, the thought I must reply in two hours or things will fall apart becomes I will check at 4 pm and send a short note to update status. A script is a checkpoint, not a lifetime rule. One clear move beats six mental rehearsals.
Choose one experiment. Put a glass of water where you will see it. Before one meeting today, set a two-minute timer, exhale longer than you inhale, and keep both feet heavy on the floor while your eyes rest on something plain across the room. Repeat it before the next high-stakes call.
If back-to-back calls leave you jittery, ask for a small buffer. Try this line: I work better with a quick pause between calls; could we start on the :05 for the next week while I test this. Managers tend to say yes when the request is concrete and time-bound. Clarity lowers friction.
Tonight, scribble tomorrow's one small move on paper and place it where you will see it in the morning. If you want to check fit with me, the first conversation is thirty minutes and free. Put the pen and a small card where your keys live.
How do I stop an anxiety spike fast?
Work with senses. Feet flat, longer out-breath, eyes on a few blue or green things, and one object held in your hands. Step to a doorway and look at the farthest point you can see. Put one stubborn thought on paper and answer it with one kind line. Small, repeatable, steady.
Why does my anxiety feel worse at night?
The body is tired and the brain chases unfinished loops. Leave big decisions for daylight. Set a short worry window earlier in the day, park the rest on paper, dim screens, and choose a low-demand task for the last hour. If mornings feel lighter, plan important calls then.
Does breathing actually help or am I doing it wrong?
Longer out-breath than in-breath often slows the body's pace by a notch. Sit, feet down, jaw loose, shoulders dropped, and count your out-breath a little longer for a minute or two. You are not aiming for perfect form. You are giving the body a steady rhythm to follow.
What should I tell my manager when anxiety messes with work?
Keep it specific and time-bound. Try: I work better with a quick pause between calls; could we start on the :05 for the next week while I test this. Or: I will send a 4 pm status note daily so you are not waiting. Concrete requests get clearer yeses than vague labels.
Do you work in Hindi or over video?
Yes. I work with adults roughly 25 to 45 in English and Hindi, over video and in person in Bengaluru. If you are unsure whether we fit, a short first call helps you decide what you want from counselling and how we might focus the work.
What if the first session makes my anxiety spike?
That happens. New rooms stir things. Plan something steady for after the session, keep your evening light, and write one line about what felt useful so you do not lose it. If you want a longer take on why this happens, I wrote about it here: Why am I anxious after my first session?.
Written by Satlaj Sachan, a counsellor in Bengaluru working Book a first conversation.