Have you ever felt that your brain is trapped in the vortex of worries? The office deadline, home responsibilities or the world’s turmoil have created a mountain of tension. Or you are in an interview hall and your hands are soaked with sweat, heartbeat is growing and the brain is filled with noise. It looks like you are getting away from yourself. In such a situation, if someone tells you to see just three things, touch three things and listen to three voices and everything will be normal… will you believe?

In the world of psychology, it is called ‘3-3-3 formula’. It is a simple but depth mental technique that gives immediate relief in the moments of anxiety, panic attack and too much stress. In the recent past, it has also gone viral on social media.

What is 3-3-3 formula

3-3-3 formula is a grounding technique, which is aimed at bringing a person back to “now and here” i.e. presenting a person. This indicates the brain by activating your sensory system that you are safe. This has developed this to control anxiety or stress immediately. This technique works to remove your brain from wandering concerns and bring it to the present moment. This technique is so easy that it can be done anywhere, anytime. Whether you are trapped in traffic, waiting for a meeting or surrounded by any concern lying on the bed at night.

How does this technique work

This technique is a simple mindfulness technique that involves watching three things, listening to three things and shaking three parts of your body. This technique helps reduce anxiety and calm your mind. To do this you have to take three easy steps:

• See three things: Watch the three things around you carefully. Look around you and recognize three such objects that you can clearly see. Such as a clock hanging on the front wall, coffee cup placed on the table, and the tree outside the window. Pay attention to their color, shape, texture every close.
• Listen to three voices: Keep your ears open and recognize three different voices. It can be a gust of wind, a mild echo of a machine or the sound of a car coming from far away.
• Stir three organs: Shake three parts of your body. For example, turn your wrist, shake the ankle, or tilt the head slightly.

How this formula works

According to psychologists … Chinta often occurs when our brain gets entangled in future uncertainty or past mistakes. 3-3-3 formula prevents these negative thoughts by bringing your attention to the present. The science behind it is quite interesting. Our brain can only pay attention to limited things at a time. When you activate your senses (vision, listening and touch), ‘anxiety’ does not get the attention that it starts to decrease on its own. This technique promotes mindfulness, which is a proven way to reduce stress. So if the next time you also surround any concern or get caught under any stress, then you will definitely see this technique.