Info card · Depression and burnout
Give your mind a simple task while your body walks, so anxious thoughts don’t keep going in circles.
Online version
You head out to clear your head, and five minutes later you’re replaying a work conversation again.
Your head is buzzing after a day full of tasks, and you’d like to switch it off, even for a little while.
You can walk part of the way: from the parking lot, from the bus stop, to the store.
How it works
A walk already keeps your brain busy: you watch the path, move your feet, look around. But anxious thoughts still slip in easily. If you give your mind one more simple task, there’s less room left for replaying.
The task is to come up with a word for each letter of the alphabet: A — apple, B — bicycle, C — cat. When you reach the end, start over with new words. If your mind wanders, that’s normal: you notice it and come back to the letter. Each time you come back is a rep of attention-shifting practice. As at the gym, results come with time and regularity.
An exercise from the author’s practice: he gives it to clients with burnout and anxiety as practice in shifting attention. There is no separate research on this particular technique — it’s a practice worth testing for yourself.
Watch where you’re going: at crossings and near traffic, the alphabet can wait. If walking for a long time is hard for health reasons, start with 10–15 minutes. If anxiety or low energy lasts for weeks, one exercise isn’t enough — it’s worth seeing a specialist.
If things feel very bad right now or you are having thoughts of death: 112 — immediate danger to life, around the clock; 116 123 — emotional support, 10:00–24:00; 116 006 — victim support crisis line, around the clock; Eluliin 655 8088 (Estonian), 655 5688 (Russian) — 19:00–07:00. Emergency help →
Don’t argue with an anxious thought — close it like a pop-up window and keep your mind busy with what’s happening right now.
Info cardStop going over the same thoughts with one honest question, and get back to what you were doing.
TrackerSee which activities lift your mood, and gradually add them to your week.
If this topic feels familiar, a consultation can help clarify what is happening in your situation and identify practical next steps.
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