Leading Through Anxiety

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PLAY DETECTIVE

做一个侦探游戏

Imagine a CEO who is terrified by the economic news surrounding Covid-19. He jumps into the problem in the way that’s worked for him in the past: making detailed projections (规划) on all aspects of the business. He buries himself in these charts while constantly consuming news about the crisis. Some of his team might wonder what he’s up to or feel unsettled by his visible yet unspoken panic. Are the charts he furiously (猛烈的) creates accurate? Who knows! But the deep dive into worst-case scenario planning gives him the illusion of control.

Your tells may also be physical. Anxiety can manifest (明显的) itself as tightness in the chest (胸闷), shallow breathing, clenched jaw muscles, frozen shoulders, gastrointestinal (胃肠的) symptoms, skin breakouts (皮肤破裂), appetite changes, and radical (激进的) shifts in energy. When I recently had a panic attack, for example, I was convinced it was heart failure — even though I’d had panic attacks before.

To help you identify the ways anxiety may be physically affecting you, try this two-part exercise:

First, sit upright in a chair. Put your feet flat on the floor (双脚平放在地板上), and your hands on your lap (膝部). Keep your chin neutral (下巴中立). Note which part of the body you can immediately feel. Then, with your eyes closed, scan through the following:

  • Your head
  • Your jaw (下巴)
  • Your neck cords
  • Your shoulders
  • Your wrists (手腕) and forearms
  • Your chest
  • Your upper back
  • Your lower back
  • Your stomach
  • Your hips ( 臀部)
  • Your hamstrings and rear
  • Your calves (小腿), ankles, and feet

Note which ones feel tight, and to gain some relief, breathe into the areas of tightness or pain.

You can also pay attention to what’s happening with your body at different points during the workday, when specific events occur, or when you make certain decisions:

  • How do you feel at 9 AM, noon, and 3 and 6 PM? Does your body change over the course of the day?
  • If you get stressed, does a particular part of your body react?
  • How often do you rely on a drink, drug, muscle relaxant (松弛药), or over-the-counter (非处方的) pain relief over the week?
  • Does your body feel different after you exercise? Do your shoulders feel lighter?
  • How does your body feel on the weekend or when you’re doing something you enjoy?

See you tomorrow