Adapting Your Environment to Reduce Anxiety – Anna Chalmers Occupational Therapist
Adapting your environment to reduce anxiety
Decluttering your environment
- Calm clear mind requires a calm clear environment
- Reduce clutter, creating effective storage
- Getting rid of multiples
- Carrying out a ‘nightly sweep’
Organisation
- Find a set place for everything
- Reduce the need for panic searching
- Keep the space around you calm and clear
- Carrying out a ‘nightly sweep’
Visual reminders
- Stress and anxiety can affect our attention and memory
- Use visual reminders as prompts for important information that you don’t want to forget.
- Visual reminders work as a backup memory and can prevent sleepless nights of worry.
- Try Post it notes, memo boards, chalkboard walls and window pens etc.
Zone your spaces
- Create a different space for each function you pan to carryout in your home
- Creating a relaxation zone
- Space for exercise
Use of colour
- Certain colours such a pinks are used to promote calmness
- Use nice textures for comfort and relaxation
- Monitor the temperature of your home to reduce agitation
Anna Chalmers is an Occupational Therapist helping people adapt their environment to better meet their physical and emotional needs, to contact Anna directly go to:
