Years ago, my late father worked for Charles Saatchi of Saatchi & Saatchi, the advertising agency. It must have been extremely exciting working and living in the heart of London during the sixties – England was leading the way in music and fashion.

Many other sectors were growing post-war, such as the convenience market. I recall fondly looking at visuals from exciting new cereals, to babies modelling for the milk marketing board – a campaign to promote door-step deliveries. I was fascinated looking through my father’s portfolios and seeing how many well-known food brands were developing. He taught me many advertising techniques, such as the use of the word “NEW” in white lettering on a red star-shaped background to entice the shopper. He said the philosophy at the agency was “KIS” – to “keep it simple”.

Subconsciously, I’ve applied this theory to many aspects of my life and it’s extremely helpful when managing anxiety. For instance, if I’m feeling over-whelmed by a busy diary, then I’ll consciously bring to mind: KIS. I’ll go over the entries and prioritise my work simply with the use of highlighter pens. If I have somewhere, anywhere to go, then I’ll apply the same principle to my outfit, make-up and footwear, too.
Of course, I sometimes forget. But eventually, and always following a breathing exercise, I remember the old-time helper of keeping things simple. You’d be amazed at how helpful it can be when trying to alleviate the crippling effects of anxiety.