2 . Most of us look forward to the weekend as a time to relax, connect with friends and family, and tackle items from a to do list that gets neglected during the work week. But as the weekend comes to an end, many of us are missing out on Sunday Funday and instead experiencing a sense of anxiety and even worry about the upcoming week.     1     Here is how experts say you can ease your end of week anxiety.

Identify your anxiety source

Anxiety is a normal human experience and one of the main ways to manage it is to identify your personal causes.     2     Create multiple to do lists. One list for tasks that need to be completed immediately, another for tasks that are less urgent, and a final list for tasks that you’d like to complete at some point.

Don’t forget to relax

When structuring your Sunday, try not to put in too many routine tasks.     3     Maybe a body scan meditation(冥想), maybe a mid-afternoon shower or bath, maybe an engaging movie or show, whatever feels like a helpful distraction(分心的事)to recover from the scaries.

Create some excitement for the week ahead

Having something to look forward to gives you something to think about what is pleasing rather than only focusing on the fright you feel. Instead of focusing on awful things you expect from the week, build excitement over a coffee or lunch date with a friend you have been meaning to catch up with.     4    

Structure your day

    5     Maybe that means planning some favourite foo ds to enjoy while watching football. Or maybe you go all in for some self-care. Do you best to honor this time and make Sunday night all about you leave the work emails for Monday morning.

7 . Do you ever worry about your study? Your health? These kinds of worries are quite common. However, for some people, worrying may become constant (连续发生的).     1     If so, understanding how to stop worrying can be a key step towards a more satisfying life.

    2     Do you tend to focus on only some details instead of the whole picture? Or do you exaggerate (夸大) things so that relatively small events seem very bad? If so, try to notice when you get into these styles of thinking.

Another step you can take to reduce your worries is to consider what aspects (方面) of a situation you can control. Once you have considered this, focus on what you can control, For example, if you are worried about your health, focus on lifestyle changes that you can make. If you are worried that you may fail an exam, focus on studying well.

When we worry a lot, it often means that we are caught up in our past or our future.     4     Therefore, practicing it can help you live in the present instead of being caught up in the past or future.

Exercise such as running or going to the gym can help give you a break from your thoughts and worries.     5     It may help you deal with stress and handle your worries. Therefore, regular exercise is a great habit to have if you want to worry less.

8 . Having an actual phobia (恐惧症) is anything but enjoyable.     1     . For children, it leads to heightened anxiety and may lead up to school avoidance. If you or your child experiences a phobia, you may wish to try the following to reduce the distress surrounding it.

1. Name the fear.

    2     . Dr. Dan Siegel, clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA, summarizes this experience as “name it to tame it.” Pixar’s movie Monsters, Inc. illustrates this nicely as the monster in the closet becomes less scary when Boo names it Kitty.

2. Talk about and analyze the fear.

Ask yourself whether the fear is sensible.     3     . It is important to note that while the percentage of many feared items happening is extremely remote, they are not necessarily 0 percent. Therefore, this step is often paired with finding a way to make peace with the feared stimulus (刺激物) still existing in the world.

3. Safely face the fear.

This is demonstrated to be the most enduring way to put fears behind us. Any unhelpful coping mechanisms, especially avoidance, must be removed.     4     . For instance, if someone is afraid of snakes, picturing a snake in one’s mind comes first, then looking at a picture of the sidewinder (响尾蛇), and finally going to the zoo. These steps can be paired with relaxation strategies to limit the physiological fear response. Not facing, or worse, avoiding, fear tends to give it more power and make the phobia stronger over time.

    5     . However, when that fear becomes excessive or fixed, it can prevent us from enjoying the joys or necessities of life. If a phobia persists, it is always an option to seek the help of a mental health professional. Whatever you do, it is important not to let the fear consume you or your child’s life.

I just want to share some great news with you!

Take care!     

Yours,

Li Hua