Worry and anxiety have a way of taking over the mind and making life miserable, says BPA Health of Boise, ID.

What's needed in such situations are a few practical, effective ways to quell the urge to worry. If you find yourself worrying too much too often, here are four good ways to combat the problem.

1. Distract yourself. An idle mind often serves as an open invitation to worry. That's why focusing on an activity or project is a great idea. Having something to occupy your mind makes it harder for fear and anxiety to take over. For example, you might take care of a household chore or practice a hobby. If you're at work, refocus on your current project. After all, it's much better to be productively engaged in something than to waste time worrying. Talking to another person is another good way to distract yourself from your worries.

2. Try to accept uncertainty. While sources of worry can vary widely, one of the most common causes is fear of the unknown. Rather than worrying about something specific, you may be worried about the unexpected challenges that life might suddenly spring upon you. Of course, worrying about "what-if" is completely pointless. Being able to live with uncertainty is a crucial life skill. When fears of the unknown assail you, try to calm down, accept things as they are, and concern yourself only with what's under your control.

3. Try to be positive. Being upbeat and optimistic is certainly easier said than done. Nonetheless, it is one the best ways to treat worrying. Rather than imagining what bad thing might happen, imagine what could go right. Most of the time, the worse-case scenario does not occur. Things might not always go perfectly, but they do usually turn out OK -- so why not look on the bright side, if doing so will make you happier? When it comes to thinking positively, there's little downside, but plenty of upside.

4. Address the underlying issue. Some fears are irrational and should be ignored as much as possible; many concern things that are simply outside of your control. However, there might be some worries you can do something about. For example, if you are concerned about an upcoming presentation at work, spending more time preparing should help relieve your worries. If you are worried you and your romantic partner are drifting apart, try talking to them about the issue. In these and similar cases, the best way to handle your worries is simply to resolve the underlying problem.

Left unchecked, worry can grow until your mind is wholly occupied and your entire day is ruined; it can make you irritable, irrational, and unproductive. If you often find yourself overcome by worry, see if the four tips seen above can help you out.

To help foster resiliency and productive work environments for you and your employees, make sure your employees are aware of the programs available to assist them and their family members, such as an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which provides no-cost professional counseling. If you don’t have an EAP program included in your group health insurance plan contact us and get more information about the low cost and benefits from the licensed Health Insurance Agents at AMERICAN INSURANCE.

Source: BPA Health, eNews - April 2017