Anxiety Check-Ins Workbook

This routine has five parts: intensity, body signals, trigger, thoughts or urge, and one next step. Keep each answer short. A few words are enough.

Your Turn

1. Set the timer for five minutes. Write the date, time, and where you are. Record whether you’re starting the day, taking a midday pause, or winding down at night.

2. Rate your current anxiety. Circle one number from 0 to 10. Use the same scale each day. If your anxiety changed during the day, rate what you feel right now and note the highest level you remember.

3. Name the strongest body signal. Choose one or two specific sensations. Examples include jaw tension, fast heartbeat, shaky hands, chest pressure, nausea, sweating, or restless energy. Don’t write only “bad” or “stressed.” Use a body-based description.

4. Identify the trigger or setting. Ask, “What happened just before this feeling, or what situation am I anticipating?” Include ordinary details. A trigger might be an unanswered message, a crowded store, a deadline, poor sleep, caffeine, conflict, or an upcoming appointment.

5. Record the main thought or urge. Write the sentence your mind is producing, such as “I’ll mess this up,” “Something is wrong,” or “I need to leave.” If there’s no clear thought, record the urge: checking, avoiding, seeking reassurance, rushing, or staying busy.

6. Choose one small next step. Pick an action that takes five minutes or less and supports staying present. Examples: drink water, lower your shoulders, read the next email without replying, stand outside, or write the first task on a list. This is not a promise to make anxiety disappear. It’s a way to respond before the feeling escalates.

7. Record the result after five minutes. Rate your anxiety again from 0 to 10. Note whether it went down, stayed the same, or went up. The check-in is complete when all seven parts have an answer, including “not sure” where needed.

> Worked example > Date/time: Tuesday, 8:10 a.m.; starting the day > Current anxiety: 6/10 > Highest level today: 6/10 > Body signal: Tight chest and clenched jaw > Trigger or setting: I have a 10:00 a.m. meeting where I need to give an update > Main thought or urge: “I’ll freeze when people ask questions.” Urge to rehearse every sentence > Next step: Write three talking points, then stop rehearsing > After five minutes: 5/10; stayed seated and wrote the points

The example is specific without being dramatic. It separates the event from the body response, thought, and urge. That separation matters because patterns become easier to see when each part has its own line.

After seven days, review your entries for repeated signals. Look for the same time of day, type of situation, physical sensation, or action that appears before your number rises. You’re not trying to find one permanent cause. Anxiety can have several inputs, and the pattern may be as simple as “less sleep plus skipped lunch makes afternoon worry louder.”

What good looks like

• You complete the check-in in five minutes or less. - You use a 0-10 rating every time. - You name at least one concrete body signal. - You record a situation, event, or anticipated event - not a broad label like “life.” - You separate the anxious thought or urge from what actually happened. - You choose one next step that takes five minutes or less. - You record the second rating, even when anxiety didn’t improve. - After seven days, you can identify at least one repeated pattern.

Adjust the Routine Without Losing the Pattern

Consistency doesn’t mean using the exact same format in every situation. A full check-in works well when you have five minutes. A shorter version helps when anxiety spikes at work, in traffic, or in a public place. Keep the same core information so your entries remain comparable.

Full check-in - five minutes

Use this once daily at your planned time. Complete all seven steps. This version gives you the clearest record of triggers, intensity, body signals, thoughts, urges, and results.

Fast check-in - sixty seconds

Use this when you notice anxiety rising but can’t stop for five minutes. Write only:

• Anxiety now: _/10 - Body signal: ______ - Trigger or setting: ______ - Urge: ______ - Next five-minute action: ________

Complete the full version later only if you can remember the details accurately. If not, keep the one-minute entry. A brief honest record beats a detailed imaginary one.

Event-linked check-in - before and after a known trigger

Use this for situations such as calls, meetings, errands, medical appointments, or difficult conversations. Complete the first four lines before the event. Add the thought or urge, next step, and second rating afterward. Compare your prediction with what happened.

For example, before a presentation you might predict 8/10 anxiety and an urge to avoid eye contact. Afterward, you might record 5/10 and “answered two questions.” This comparison shows whether anxiety’s forecast matched the event. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it makes a very confident guess and gets it wrong.

Pattern review - once each week

Set a separate ten-minute timer after seven days. Count how often each pattern appeared. You might find:

• Morning anxiety: 3 days - Tight chest: 4 days - Work-related trigger: 5 days - Reassurance-seeking urge: 2 days - Anxiety reduced after a five-minute action: 4 days

Use counts rather than impressions. “It feels like every day” becomes clearer when you can check whether it happened two times or six. If your anxiety is repeatedly 8-10, interferes with sleep or daily tasks, or feels unsafe, consider contacting a qualified mental health professional. The check-in can help you explain what’s been happening, but it isn’t a substitute for personal care.

Review Your Progress and Set the Next Check-In

Use these questions after your first seven days. Answer with evidence from your entries, not what you think you “should” have noticed. Write at least one specific example for each question.

Reflect: Which trigger or setting appeared most often, and how many times did it appear?

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Reflect: Which body signal showed up earliest before your anxiety rating rose?

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Reflect: What was the average starting anxiety rating across the days you completed?

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Reflect: Which five-minute action helped, stayed neutral, or made no difference? Include the before-and-after ratings.

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Reflect: What time and place will you use for your next seven daily check-ins?

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Criteria for success

• You completed at least five of the seven planned check-ins, or clearly marked missed days. - You can name one repeated trigger or setting with a count. - You can name one early body signal. - You compared at least one before-and-after rating. - You selected a regular time and location for the next week. - You can describe your pattern without blaming yourself for having anxiety.

A check-in is useful even when the number stays the same. The win is noticing sooner, naming more clearly, and choosing your next move with a little more information. Five quiet minutes can turn a vague sense of “something’s wrong” into a pattern you can work with.

End of chapter one. 9 more chapters in the full book.