Worry can feel productive, like preparing or staying one step ahead. Sometimes it is. Often it is the same thought going round without anything changing, apart from how tired you feel.
The difference is usually whether there is anything you can do about it. This worksheet helps you tell the two apart.
01
Sort your worries
- 1. Name itWhat exactly am I worried about? One sentence.
- 2. Can I act?Is there anything I can do about this, even something small?
- 3. If yesWhat, and when? Decide the first step and put it in the diary.
- 4. If noNotice it, accept you cannot solve it now, and bring your attention back to what is in front of you.
| The worry | Can I act on it? | If yes: first step and when | If no: what I will focus on instead |
|---|---|---|---|
02
Give worry a time slot
If worries keep interrupting your day, try postponing them. Set aside 15 to 20 minutes at the same time each day, not close to bedtime. When a worry arrives outside that slot, note it down and come back to it later. In the slot, go through the list using the sort above. Many worries look smaller by then, or have resolved themselves.
Exercise
Your worry time
When and where my worry time will be:
Where I will note worries during the day:
Remember
Uncertainty is uncomfortable, not dangerous. You do not need to be certain to act well.