Create a routine that works

“Establishing a daily or weekly routine can help reduce the anxiety associated with life admin,” she says. For example, you could designate specific times of the day or week to handle emails, reply to group chats, or schedule appointments. “Routine turns the chaotic into the predictable, making it easier to manage,” she adds.

Practice mindfulness

Wells says that incorporating mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing or short meditation sessions, can help reduce anxiety more broadly and make it easier to focus on the tasks at hand: “By staying present and grounded, you can prevent feelings of overwhelm from spiralling out of control.”

However, while these strategies can help manage life admin anxiety, it’s important to recognise when anxiety becomes too much to handle on your own. “If you find that your anxiety is impacting your daily life – no matter what the root cause(s) – it might be time to seek professional support,” she adds.

Life admin anxiety: how to stop feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list