Set aside a time each day for Worry time (about 15 minutes). Find a time that works best for you. When you find yourself worrying during the day you can use the Worry time list sheet to make a record of any worries (or record them on your phone if you prefer). After making a note of each worry delay them until Worry time and remember to re-focus your thoughts back to the present moment.
Here are some helpful tips for the time when you go back to think and work on your worries – Worry Time.
1. When Worry time arrives you may find that some worries have gone away or don’t seem so important now. Consider were these worries worth worrying about?
2. Figure out whether the worries you have recorded are hypothetical worries or practical problems.
3. What is the evidence for and against your hypothetical worries. How likely are they to actually happen?
4. Are there some worries that you can’t do anything about and need to let go of?
5. How did you feel while you had the worry? How do you feel now? Has your level of anxiety changed?
6. Did any worries actually happen? If yes\, how did you deal with that? Was it as bad as you expected? Will the experience help you with similar situations in the future?
7. Were there some worries that were more difficult to re-focus your attention from? Do the same worries keep repeating? Are there any patterns with your worrying?
8. Worry time will get easier. After two weeks - consider how the time you need for worry time changed? Have some regular worries gone away or don’t seem as important now?
Be determined to stop thinking about these worries after the 15 minutes is over.
Make sure you follow Worry time with an activity that will lift your mood such as listening to music, watching a favorite TV program or going for a run.
Any worries you have after Worry time should be recorded in a new Worry time list and considered in your next Worry time.
