Guided technique · Thought work · 15 min

Worry time

A set 15-minute slot each day for worrying. At other times, you note worries briefly and postpone them to worry time.

Level: Practising · Free — no account needed to read

A set 15-minute slot each day for worrying. At other times, you note worries briefly and postpone them to worry time.

Why it may help

Postponing worry is easier than stopping it. Giving worry a container stops it spreading across the whole day, and many worries shrink by the time you get to them.

When to use it

• worry leaks into your whole day
• you worry in bed at night
• worries feel urgent in the moment but rarely are

Helps with

• Worry that takes over the day

How to do it

1. Choose a 15-minute slot today, not close to bedtime, and a place that isn’t your bed.
2. During the day, when a worry arrives, write two words and tell yourself: “Later, at worry time.”
3. At worry time, go through the list. Turn anything you can act on into a next step. (about 900 seconds)
4. When the time is up, stop — even mid-worry — and do something absorbing.

What the evidence says

Moderate evidence: Several studies support it, but the effects are smaller, the studies are fewer or less rigorous, or results vary between groups.

What was found

Worry postponement (stimulus control) has been studied since the 1980s, and trials show it can reduce how often people worry.

What is uncertain

Effects are moderate and it is usually one part of a wider approach, so its effect alone varies.

Who it may not suit

If worry is constant and hard to control for months, this can help, but it is worth also talking to a professional.

Where this comes from: Worry and anxiety research; Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) research.

Afterwards, ask yourself

How many of your postponed worries still mattered at worry time?