The Importance Of Setting Microgoals To Calm Anxiety
Some of the most common causes of anxiety have to do with the fear of facing what worries us: our pending tasks at work, responsibilities at home or family life, etc. The perception of facing challenges that overwhelm us or whose fulfillment would mean having to make a lot of effort (at a time when we may not feel 100%) causes these types of problems to accumulate as we leave them unattended.
Currently There are many strategies that we can put into practice to control our anxiety levels, and one of the most important is the establishment of microgoals to not let the tasks before us intimidate and paralyze us.
Below you will find a series of benefits that microgoals offer in task management, with which we can significantly reduce our anxiety levels in the work environment or in our private life at home.
1. It allows us to overcome the fear of undertaking complex tasks
Anxiety at work usually arises from the fear or intimidation that one feels when faced with certain tasks that generate uncertainty or that at first we do not know if we are going to solve successfully.
By setting short-term microgoals with the aim of subdividing a larger task into small units, this It will seem less intimidating once we have separated its parts and that will allow us to face each of these subdivisions with greater strength and determination.
By dividing an extensive job into small tasks grouped logically, we will be able to start working more quickly in each of the units or compartments created and we will perceive as more affordable a job that at first seemed very demanding and complex.
Furthermore, this is one of the best remedies that exist to overcome procrastination, since If we do not manage well the fear of thinking about pending tasks, we fall into the trap of “leaving it for another time.”.
2. It helps motivate us throughout the entire process
Setting small goals during the same day or during the week also helps us to be more motivated, since it always gives us the possibility of feeling satisfied with the work done in a matter of minutes or a couple of hours, once it is done.
Goals push us to do those daily tasks and obligations that we must perform and the simple fact of doing them and completing them successfully already It is in itself a boost of motivation and self-esteem which helps us continue with a positive work rhythm throughout the week.
3. Allows greater structuring of the day
Small short or medium-term goals help us to temporarily structure tasks and not hesitate at every moment about what to do, which contributes considerably to reducing our anxiety levels.
Once we have taken care of dividing the task into many microgoals at the beginning of everything We no longer have to worry about it again and we ensure that doubts stop paralyzing us in the face of indecision something very positive because this last type of situation raises the level of stress: it gives us the feeling that we cannot move forward due to those constant pauses to reflect.
In short, knowing at all times what to do and how to allocate our intellectual and physical resources, we will have much greater performance and an improvement in our mental health.
4. More efficient use of time
By establishing a short-term microgoal we know that in a short time we will be able to finish that task in question and “close” one of those mini-work cycles, which allows us to take care of other more laborious tasks.
So, if we must attend to another responsibility later, we will strive to finish first that mini-task that we have already started or that we can finish in minutes which will allow us to fit all the elements of our schedule together and work more efficiently, finishing those lighter tasks first and fitting small blocks of work into our schedule.
On the contrary, if we do not subdivide our tasks based on their level of difficulty, it will be more difficult for us to carry out work in a useful way, since we will fall into a reasoning of the type: “total, I won’t have time to finish it now and in an hour I have than going to the dentist, it’s better to start when you get home.”
Another essential advantage that the establishment of microgoals offers us is that it helps us focus on our objectives and on our specific task at a given time, without addressing other issues unrelated to it.
Thus, We prevent our mind from wandering around thinking about issues that worry us about other responsibilities or other different jobs and we focus exclusively on the microtask we are currently performing.
We can say, in short, that microgoals “pull” our attention towards them and keep us busy during the brief period of work of which they consist.
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I’m Emily Williams Jones, a psychologist specializing in mental health with a focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. With a Ph.D. in psychology, my career has spanned research, clinical practice and private counseling. I’m dedicated to helping individuals overcome anxiety, depression and trauma by offering a personalized, evidence-based approach that combines the latest research with compassionate care.
