One coaching client, I'll call her Kristen, emailed me, saying, "I've lived with stress all my life; however I'm not handling it as well as I used to. I need tips on how to walk out of my office even when there are still plenty of items on my 'to do' list. I need to learn how to shut off my brain at night so I can sleep. I'm not only more anxious and tired but having more headaches." 

Like Kristen, I've found it's often anxiety or feeling chronically overwhelmed that zaps my energy and interferes with my ability to focus. If we aren't careful, such feelings can lower our overall well-being.

Obviously, not all anxiety is detrimental to our health. (Some anxious feelings motivate us to take immediate action, like moving away from a ledge or other danger.) But constant anxiety and unresolved stress can be toxic, and research suggests it leads to high blood pressure, headaches, increased moodiness, or insomnia.

You can help resolve some of your feelings of being overwhelmed by first asking yourself a few questions: Could I be trying to do too much? Is this just a difficult season? Do I need more sleep? Or is the issue deeper?

I knew Kristen had been gradually working later and later into the night. Her most productive hours, however, were in the morning. Working longer at night allowed her little time to wind down and relax before going to bed. Since she went to bed still tense, she had problems falling asleep. The next morning she felt sluggish and had difficulty concentrating. When she didn't meet her deadlines, she anxiously worked later, attempting to catch up. So her actions continued the vicious cycle.

For her, the solution was to leave the office earlier, and allow more time to wind down at night before she tried to go to sleep. She found she slept better and was more productive at work even though she spent less time there. When she first attempted to break this habit, however, her anxiety increased. She had to maintain her focus and persist to feel relief.   

You might struggle with anxiety in a different way. Perhaps you know exactly what you need to do, but are unable to change. Another client, Taylor, told me, "I know I'm not eating well or exercising regularly, but I'm stuck. I know what I need to do, but I can't seem to do it. I'm only becoming more anxious, and then I self-medicate with more junk food."

As her coach, I was able to empower Taylor by giving her support, encouragement, and accountability. Together, we broke things down into doable steps. She made the first step simple and easy, and focused on that. Then she concentrated on her next short-term goal. Each step of the way she was encouraged to challenge her self-doubts and negative thinking while continuing to be held accountable for the goal of eating well and exercising regularly.    

While each of us might choose a different path to deal with our anxiety, the point is we must not ignore it. Below are five suggestions to minimize your anxiety and improve your overall health and productivity.