Scheduling time to worry. If you’re a worrier like me then you should try this strategy I recently learned about to free up your mental space from worry. I know it seems like an incredibly strange concept to schedule time to worry but it’s been tremendously constructive to me and to others I’ve shared this with. I can easily be up in the middle of the night worrying about big things like weathering our first holiday without dad to small things like asking for time out of the office for appointments or vacation in the far future. So for worries that aren’t on the immediate horizon, I tell myself that I’ll worry about them when the events are closer to occurring and set a timeframe like the month or week before the event. It’s sort of the “we’ll cross that bridge when we get there” mentality.
The other type of worry I struggle with is when my plate is overflowing with many things happening at once. For example, I recently had a terribly busy week of work travel but also needed to squeeze into my schedule bringing a meal to a new mom, dropping my car off at the shop for some urgent repairs, completing and mailing tons of paperwork, a doctor appointment and the list goes on. I can overwhelm myself worrying all day about how and when I can possibly accomplish everything. To tackle this type of worry I have to carve out specific time to productively think through and plan for all of the things that need to be done. So instead of worrying all the time, I schedule and limit my worries to my drive to work or with a glass of wine in the tub.
Got any worrier tips? Leave them in the comments!
You can find previous coffee talk sessions here!
sara [at] journey of doing
Sunday 22nd of October 2017
I've been trying to mediate. I have a code for a free month of headspace if you want to try it. I've been doing it for a little over a month and it's helped a little. I'm learning, at least... and I definitely feel like I've been able to take my anxiety level down. Happy to share if you want it. :)
Cathy
Thursday 12th of October 2017
Dealing with some sneaky postpartum anxiety right now (sneaky because it's popping up four months postpartum instead of immediately, like it did the first time). Finally reached out to my OB yesterday, but in the meantime, I'm gonna try this idea! And chocolate.
Hanging with the Hirsts
Wednesday 11th of October 2017
Usually when I get worried, especially when things pile up at work, I take a deep breath, make a list in priority of things that need to get done and pray. It works every time :)
janeey
Wednesday 11th of October 2017
nice
Laura Darling
Wednesday 11th of October 2017
I do the same thing! When I find myself worrying about something, I will look at the clock and say to myself, you have five minutes to worry. Then I think through it all and when the five minutes is up, I move on. It usually works for me!