I heard this on a podcast “Action alleviates anxiety.” I’m great at writing down notes and terrible at capturing the source. (I think it was an Alex Hormozi podcast but don’t hold me to it.)
It’s clear – feeling anxious? Get moving.
Inaction is a driver of anxiety because anxiety makes decision making hard. It drives analysis paralysis. The Journal of Neuroscience (2016), published research showing a decrease of activity in the pre-frontal cortex where decision-making happens.
So, write “action alleviates anxiety” on a sticky note or in your notes application. And when you feel anxious, pull it up and get to work.
When I feel stuck, I start writing (I mean typing). Just brain dump into a Google Doc or Apple Notes. Then start picking a part the problem and making small decisions to get the ball rolling. I feel a significant weight off my shoulders as soon as I start writing.