Autumn Anxiety: Build a Head of Steam to Get You Going

Do you know the physical symptoms of anxiety?

If you pay close attention the next time you get anxious, you might notice these things:

• You start sweating. Perhaps your face even gets a bit damp.
• Your heart rate goes up a bit.
• Your mid-section feels — well — like it’s got a cluster of butterflies in it.

You’re uncomfortable and out of sorts in a general, ill-defined way.

Something just doesn’t feel right. And you’d be happy to do almost anything to make those sensations go away.

That’s the nature of anxiety.

It pushes you to do something. It nudges you to be productive.

An Autumn Productivity Tip

September can be an anxiety-filled month.

During those lazy days of August, even if you want to get stuff done, you often don’t. But come Labor Day, that ease goes away.

Like January, September is the month when things start back up. To-do lists suddenly get long. Deadlines that seemed like they’d never arrive suddenly show up on your September calendar.

And with September comes that uncomfortable anxiety that’s the precursor to productivity.

Anxiety Can be Healthy

Anxiety doesn’t always signal that something’s wrong.

Some people (I count themselves among them) need a sense of anxiety to get down to work. It builds gradually, like a head of steam. The energy is getting captured inside until it spurts out and you down to serious, creative work.

So think of anxiety as a sign that you are storing up the energy you need to function at your best.

It’s not comfortable.

It’s not pleasant.

But without it, you’re dead in the water.

So if you’re feeling anxious, be happy. Your internal systems are just preparing you for a fulfilling and productive fall.

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Let Your Anxiety Build

If you feel anxious as fall begins, don’t fret. Just wait until the energy releases into a burst of productivity. Remember that for many people, anxiety and productivity are close cousins. The discomfort of being anxious gives way to the wonderful rush of productivity.

Do you experience autumn anxiety? What are your symptoms?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.