5 Daily Habits That Reduce Anxiety

If you’ve ever typed “how to reduce anxiety” into a search bar at 2 a.m. while your brain is doing backflips, just know: I’ve been there and I still go there from time to time. Anxiety isn’t something you just “cure” and wave goodbye to; it’s more like a houseguest that overstays its welcome, but you learn to cohabitate with it a little more over time, reduce its space and gradually get to a place where you barely notice it.

And here’s what I’ve learned the hard way: reducing anxiety doesn’t always require big, life-changing overhauls. It’s not just about therapy appointments or expensive wellness retreats. Sometimes, it’s the tiniest daily habits that make the biggest difference. The kind that sneak up on you. And surprisingly, many of these habits originated from real people, friends, and individuals like me who have found a little pocket of sanity with tools like the Discovery Journal.

So I want to share five of the most effective anxiety coping habits that have helped me and many others reduce anxiety naturally and feel just a little more human every day. And no, you don’t need to meditate on a mountain or give up coffee (unless you want to, I won’t stop you).

So let's get into 5 Daily Habits That Reduce Anxiety...

1. Journaling Regularly

I’ll admit it: I used to think journaling was just something people with perfect handwriting and bullet journal Pinterest boards did. I never thought it would help with my anxiety. I was wrong.

Journaling is now a non-negotiable. It’s the mental equivalent of clearing out the junk drawer, except the drawer is my brain. Every time I come to write, I'm still surprised by just how much of my day I didn't process or pay attention to! There were so many smaller nuances I completely ignored, and it turns out it was those little things that helped me recover from my anxiety disorder.

Having prompts makes all the difference. Although I initially just wanted to get into the practice, I slowly realised that having prompts helped me clear through all the mess and find the real causes and triggers that had been weighing me down.

Instead of staring at a blank page, I used guided prompts that nudge me.

As I started to hone in on where I need to be looking closer, the Discovery Journal came to fruition. I laid out the journal to help people with brains like mine find those triggers faster and in turn, recover that little bit faster, too.

2. Moving Your Body (No Gym Membership Required)

I used to roll my eyes at people who said “just move your body!” when I told them I was anxious. It sounded dismissive, like they didn’t get it. All I felt like my body needed to do was hide or sleep. But again, I was being a bit of a cynic, because once I tried moving (without pressure or expectations), I felt the difference. I wasn't a gym goer; in fact, the idea made me anxious, but I had to do something to break that wall that was keeping me out of the world.

Notice I didn’t say “exercise.” I’m not talking about CrossFit or 5 a.m. bootcamps. I’m talking about movement, a gentle stretch in the morning, a short walk after lunch, and a few yoga poses while watching Netflix. Moving your body daily helps process the physical side of anxiety: the tight chest, racing heart, jittery energy.

Even five minutes of movement signals to your nervous system: Hey, we’re okay.

You don’t need a Peloton. You need a reason to take your body for a little spin around the block (or the living room).

Daily anxiety tip: If you’re feeling anxious but frozen (hello, anxiety paralysis), try the “just stand up” trick. Stand up, stretch your arms, and shake your hands out for 15 seconds. That little action can be a reset button. Or if you're motivated, studies have shown that 25 minutes of constant movement can rapidly reduce your water retention and stop you feeling sluggish. So set your timer and get walking!

3. Setting Micro-Goals (a.k.a. Little Wins Add Up)

If you’re an anxious overachiever like me, you probably have to-do lists that look like CVS receipts. And when you don’t finish all 97 items, your inner critic pipes up with a lovely little monologue: “Why can’t you ever get your life together?”

Here’s the habit that shut that critic up (well, mostly): I started setting micro-goals. Just 1–3 small, doable tasks per day and a little self-reward to follow!

I found that by writing down small wins and giving myself a little treat for them motivated me and enabled me to ignore the anxious voice in my head a little more every day.

The point is: writing them down makes them real. And checking them off gives my brain that sweet dopamine hit.

Today’s list looked like this:

• Reply to one email I’ve been avoiding

• Take a 15-minute walk

• Drink two full water bottles
  

  Not exactly world-changing, right? But crossing them off felt like winning a gold medal in Functional Adulting.

If having a guide is helpful, you might want to look at The Thought Tamer. It's a handy tool I designed to help you set your goals and rewards, ripping off each page as you go. If it's tangible and right there, you are more likely to do it and keep yourself on the straight and narrow.

Daily anxiety tip: Start your day by asking: What three things will make me feel accomplished today, even if anxiety shows up?  Write those down. Let everything else be optional.

4. Practising Grounding Techniques (Especially the 5-4-3-2-1 Trick)

When my anxiety spikes, my thoughts start doing Olympic-level gymnastics. Grounding techniques are the thing that stops the flipping and brings me back to the present.

My go-to is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method. Here’s how it works:

1. Name 5 things you can see

2. Name 4 things you can touch

3. Name 3 things you can hear

4. Name 2 things you can smell

5. Name 1 thing you can taste

It sounds simple (and it is), but I swear it’s magic. It interrupts the spiral and roots you in the now.

Simple but effective.

5. Saying "No" Without Guilt (Still Working On This One)

Let’s be real, this one’s hard. Especially if you’re a recovering people-pleaser like me. But saying “no” (and meaning it) is one of the most powerful anxiety-reducing habits I’ve learned.

Here’s what it looks like in real life:

• Saying no to after-work drinks when you're drained.

• Saying no to taking on another project when your plate is full.

• Saying no to a phone call when you need silence.

Every “no” is a “yes” to your mental health. And the guilt? That’s just old programming. One thing that helped me was writing about my guilt, processing it, asking myself, "Who am I trying to please?", "Why do I feel the need to be included?".

Writing about it helped me trace the guilt to its roots. And then? I permitted myself to let it go.

Turns out the world still turns, and people won't leave you if you say no every once and a while. It's ok to change.

Daily anxiety tip: Next time you feel the urge to say yes, pause and ask: Am I doing this out of joy or fear? Choose accordingly.

Start Small—But Start Today

If this list feels overwhelming, just pick one. Seriously. Anxiety thrives on all-or-nothing thinking, so don’t fall into that trap. Doing too much too soon can be detrimental and feel like a chore.

Here’s how I’d suggest starting:

• Choose one habit that feels the least intimidating.

• Do it for 5 minutes a day.

• Use a journal (like the Discovery Journal) to track how it feels.

Because the truth is, managing anxiety isn’t about doing everything right. It’s about finding what works for you, and showing up consistently, reminding yourself of why you are doing this and what life could look like on the other side.

I’ll leave you with this reminder: Change doesn’t always come in breakthroughs. Sometimes it comes in tiny, boring, brave habits, repeated quietly, every day.