Feeling anxious has become almost commonplace, especially during stressful periods such as pandemics. Yet, the effectiveness of coping with anxiety may rely not on one preferred strategy, but rather on how flexibly we combine different techniques.
This intriguing possibility has been highlighted by a recent study, offering fresh insights into how people naturally manage their anxiety.
A new study led by Chayce R. Baldwin and colleagues, published in the journal Emotion (2025), found that individuals who use diverse combinations of healthy strategies daily experience reduced anxiety over time.
Conducted during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the research tracked 422 participants across two 14-day periods in April and September 2020. Each day, participants reported their anxiety levels related to COVID-19 and identified which of 18 emotional regulation strategies they employed.
The study explored anxiety as a significant emotional challenge, particularly intensified during the uncertainty of the pandemic.
Anxiety, characterized by worry, fear, and unease, can severely disrupt daily functioning and overall mental health if poorly managed.
Traditional approaches to emotion regulation typically emphasize single strategies like mindfulness or cognitive reframing, but recent evidence suggests that combining multiple strategies may be more effective.
The researchers employed an innovative daily diary method to capture real-time emotional coping patterns. Participants reported using strategies ranging from exercise, mindfulness, and journaling to distraction and venting.
Over the two-week periods, individuals on average used three to four strategies daily and about nine different ones throughout the study. Remarkably, around 74% of these strategy combinations were unique to individual participants.
A key discovery was that participants who regularly used diverse and healthy strategy combinations, particularly when these combinations varied from their usual practices, reported notably lower anxiety levels the following day.
For instance, combining activities like exercise, engaging in rituals, and seeking physical comfort or advice from others was particularly effective. Conversely, relying heavily on unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol consumption or suppression techniques typically increased anxiety.
Notably, individuals experiencing greater psychological distress—characterized by rumination, worry, and depressive symptoms—tended to employ more strategies overall, but often gravitated toward less healthy options.
Yet, when distressed individuals managed to integrate healthy coping strategies, their anxiety reductions matched those of their less-distressed peers. This indicates the significant potential for targeted interventions aimed at encouraging distressed individuals to adopt healthier emotional regulation practices.
This research underscores the practical importance of developing a versatile emotional toolbox.
Rather than focusing solely on finding a single “perfect” strategy, individuals might benefit from building a broader repertoire and using these flexibly depending on daily circumstances and needs.
The findings offer actionable insights, especially valuable during prolonged stressful events like pandemics, economic downturns, or personal crises.
The study’s insights also highlight areas needing further exploration. Since the strategies were self-reported and healthiness was based on expert ratings, future research might explore how personal and contextual differences influence strategy effectiveness.
Additionally, extending these findings beyond pandemic-related anxiety to everyday stressors could help refine practical guidelines for mental health interventions.
Ultimately, this research emphasizes a pragmatic approach to emotional well-being, advocating the use of diverse, healthy, and adaptable strategies to effectively navigate anxiety in daily life.
Citation
Baldwin, C. R., Schertz, K. E., Orvell, A., Costello, C., Takahashi, S., Moser, J. S., Ayduk, O., & Kross, E. (2025). Managing emotions in everyday life: Why a toolbox of strategies matters. Emotion, 25(5), 1122–1136. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001492
