The 333 rule is basically a grounding technique, an exercise or activity that helps you manage an intense emotion by helping you get out of your head, steering your attention away from distressing thoughts, feelings, or memories and zoning in on the present moment.
Dr Singh recommends the 333 rule as a go-to grounding technique for her clients. It’s easy to remember and use in the moment, it’s available most of the time, and it can be a simple strategy to help us focus and ground when anxiety overwhelms. Put simply, you name three things you can see, name three things you can hear, and move three different body parts.
Name three things you see
When feelings of anxiety strike, pause, breathe, look at your surroundings, and name three things you can see. It can be anything; a cat, a lamp, your mug, a family photo—whatever catches your eye.
Name three sounds you hear
Next, listen to your surroundings and name three things you hear. It doesn’t matter what they are; traffic, water running, your coworker’s keys clacking, people talking, or your own breath.
Move three parts of your body
Finally, pick three parts of your body and move them one by one. You could shake your head, shrug your shoulders, and roll your wrists. If you want to be more incognito, you could smile, take a deep breath and feel your chest rise and fall, and tap your foot.
One of the best things about the 333 rule is that it can be done anywhere and anytime. You can even do it right in front of someone else and they wouldn’t even realize.
You tell us! The next time you’re feeling stressed out or anxious, try the 333 rule and see if it helps. Even better, try doing the 333 rule for anxiety even when you’re not feeling anxious at all.
Using coping mechanisms for stress when we’re not actually feeling stressed is a way to practice preventive self-care. Establishing the coping mechanism as a habit that we can go to without having to think about it will set us up for success when we’re actually feeling stressed.
You can try doing the 333 rule when you wake up in the morning, right before you walk out the door for the day, when you end your work day, or any other time of day that is consistent for you.