{"id":2829,"date":"2026-05-18T10:14:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T08:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/worry-time\/"},"modified":"2026-11-02T13:32:12","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T12:32:12","slug":"worry-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/worry-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Worry Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style>\n\/* The accent is a light-background device. 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aria-hidden=\"true\"><i><\/i><\/div><nav id=\"eqp-parts\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><a href=\"#part-1\" data-i=\"1\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span><span class=\"lbl\">What worry time is<\/span><\/a><a href=\"#part-2\" data-i=\"2\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span><span class=\"lbl\">Why not now works better than stop it<\/span><\/a><a href=\"#part-3\" data-i=\"3\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span><span class=\"lbl\">How to use it<\/span><\/a><a href=\"#part-4\" data-i=\"4\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span><span class=\"lbl\">When worry turns up at night<\/span><\/a><a href=\"#part-5\" data-i=\"5\" tabindex=\"-1\"><span class=\"dot\"><\/span><span class=\"lbl\">Worry or rumination<\/span><\/a><\/nav><button id=\"eqp-top\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Back to the top of the article\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M6 10.5V2M2 5.5 6 1.5l4 4\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.7\" 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is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n<div style=\"color:#6b6259;font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.455), 18px);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;margin-top:54px;margin-bottom:0\" class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-1 wp-block-post-date has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\"><time datetime=\"2026-05-18T10:14:00+02:00\">18 svibnja, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n\n<div style=\"color:#6b6259;font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.455), 18px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\" class=\"taxonomy-category has-link-color wp-elements-2 wp-block-post-terms has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\"><a href=\"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/category\/time\/\" rel=\"tag\">Time management<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-playfair-display-font-family\" id=\"top\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:16px;font-size:clamp(24.034px, 1.502rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 1.814), 40px);font-style:normal;font-weight:800;line-height:1.15\">Worry Time<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#524a42;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:22px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.55\">What happens when you give your worries an appointment, why \u201cnot now\u201d works better than \u201cstop it\u201d, how to try it this week, what to do when worry turns up at night, and how worry differs from rumination<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#6b6259;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.114), 15px);line-height:1.5\"><strong style=\"color:#b0413e\">11 minute read<\/strong> &nbsp;&middot;&nbsp; 2,446 words<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<!-- eq-post-top -->\n<div class=\"pt-on\" hidden data-src=\"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/worry-time-post-top.jpg\" data-w=\"390\" data-aspect=\"0.908\" data-side=\"right\" data-bleed=\"\"><\/div>\n<script>\n\/* Post tops: turns the post's masthead group into the cream band and adds the\n   drawing beside the words. 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Measured on the\n      \/\/ drawing's row, not the band: story paragraphs still loading into the masthead sit below it for a moment.\n      var fs = getComputedStyle(fig);\n      var slack = fig.offsetHeight + parseFloat(fs.marginTop) + parseFloat(fs.marginBottom) - words.offsetHeight;\n      mh.style.setProperty('--pt-lift', Math.max(0, Math.round(slack * 0.1)) + 'px');\n    }\n    fit();\n    addEventListener('resize', fit);\n    \/\/ The text grows when the site's fonts arrive: measure again then.\n    if (document.fonts) document.fonts.ready.then(fit);\n    addEventListener('load', fit);\n    function tidy() {\n      var after = document.createDocumentFragment();\n      while (fig.nextSibling) after.appendChild(fig.nextSibling);\n      mh.parentNode.insertBefore(after, mh.nextSibling);\n      \/\/ The part dots sit at the left edge, over a drawing there: they fade in once the band is behind them.\n      var rail = document.getElementById('eqp-parts');\n      if (!rail) return;\n      function dots() { rail.classList.toggle('pt-hide', mh.getBoundingClientRect().bottom > rail.getBoundingClientRect().top); }\n      addEventListener('scroll', dots, { passive: true });\n      addEventListener('resize', dots);\n      dots();\n    }\n    if (document.readyState === 'loading') document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', tidy); else tidy();\n    return true;\n  }\n  if (!run()) document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', run);\n})();\n<\/script>\n<!-- \/eq-post-top -->\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family eq-drop wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#35302a;margin-top:46px;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.642px, 0.915rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.836), 22px);line-height:1.62\">It\u2019s ten past eleven, you\u2019re in bed, and your mind has decided that this is the moment to go back over the email you sent on Tuesday, the appointment you still haven\u2019t booked, and whether the thing your friend said at dinner meant what it might have meant. None of these can be dealt with from where you\u2019re lying. That doesn\u2019t seem to stop any of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Being told to stop worrying rarely helps, and most of us have already tried telling ourselves exactly that. A more useful idea has been around since the early 1980s, and it sounds a little odd at first: <strong class=\"eqb\">give your worries an appointment<\/strong>. You pick fifteen to thirty minutes, at a set time and in a set place, and when a worry turns up at any other point in the day, you tell it that it\u2019ll be heard, just not now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">This is called worry time, and it\u2019s one of those techniques that sounds almost too simple to work. The interesting part is why it works at all.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4ccedd2e wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-color:#e8e1d5;border-width:1.5px;border-style:solid;border-radius:22px;background-color:#faf8f3;margin-top:56px;margin-bottom:20px;padding:30px 34px\">\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#6b6259;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:22px;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;line-height:1.4\">WHAT THIS ARTICLE COVERS &middot; FIVE PARTS<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\">\n<div class=\"eq-toc\"><div class=\"flat\"><svg class=\"chev hide\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 2l4 4-4 4\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.7\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"num\">PART 1<\/span><a class=\"ttl\" href=\"#part-1\">What worry time is<\/a><span class=\"cnt\">2 min<\/span><\/div><details><summary><svg class=\"chev\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 2l4 4-4 4\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.7\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"num\">PART 2<\/span><a class=\"ttl\" href=\"#part-2\">Why \u201cnot now\u201d works better than \u201cstop it\u201d<\/a><span class=\"cnt\"><span class=\"sec\">4 sections<\/span><span class=\"sep\"> &middot; <\/span>2 min<\/span><\/summary><ul><li><a href=\"#trying-not-to-think-about-something-keeps-it-close\">Trying not to think about something keeps it close<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#worry-learns-where-it-lives\">Worry learns where it lives<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#many-worries-shrink-while-they-wait\">Many worries shrink while they wait<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#worry-keeps-the-body-on-alert\">Worry keeps the body on alert<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/details><details><summary><svg class=\"chev\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 2l4 4-4 4\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.7\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"num\">PART 3<\/span><a class=\"ttl\" href=\"#part-3\">How to use it<\/a><span class=\"cnt\"><span class=\"sec\">4 sections<\/span><span class=\"sep\"> &middot; <\/span>2 min<\/span><\/summary><ul><li><a href=\"#setting-up-the-appointment\">Setting up the appointment<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#what-to-do-during-worry-time\">What to do during worry time<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#when-a-worry-cant-wait\">When a worry can\u2019t wait<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#the-first-week-is-the-hardest\">The first week is the hardest<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/details><details><summary><svg class=\"chev\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 2l4 4-4 4\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.7\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"num\">PART 4<\/span><a class=\"ttl\" href=\"#part-4\">When worry turns up at night<\/a><span class=\"cnt\"><span class=\"sec\">3 sections<\/span><span class=\"sep\"> &middot; <\/span>2 min<\/span><\/summary><ul><li><a href=\"#a-notepad-by-the-bed\">A notepad by the bed<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#empty-your-head-before-bed\">Empty your head before bed<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#before-a-big-moment\">Before a big moment<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/details><details><summary><svg class=\"chev\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M4 2l4 4-4 4\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.7\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"num\">PART 5<\/span><a class=\"ttl\" href=\"#part-5\">Worry or rumination<\/a><span class=\"cnt\"><span class=\"sec\">3 sections<\/span><span class=\"sep\"> &middot; <\/span>2 min<\/span><\/summary><ul><li><a href=\"#forward-and-backward\">Forward and backward<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#not-all-going-over-things-is-harmful\">Not all going over things is harmful<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#when-its-more-than-everyday-worry\">When it\u2019s more than everyday worry<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:92px;margin-bottom:34px\"><div class=\"wt-part clk\"><div class=\"no\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 80 88\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path class=\"ln\" d=\"M22 13 16 7M58 13 64 7M40 10V4\"\/><path class=\"ln\" d=\"M22 74 16 83M58 74 64 83\"\/><circle cx=\"40\" cy=\"47\" r=\"33\" class=\"rim\"\/><path class=\"sl\" d=\"M40 47 L40 19 A28 28 0 0 1 66.6 38.3 Z\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"40.0\" y1=\"20.0\" x2=\"40.0\" y2=\"26.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"53.5\" y1=\"23.6\" x2=\"52.0\" y2=\"26.2\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"63.4\" y1=\"33.5\" x2=\"60.8\" y2=\"35.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"67.0\" y1=\"47.0\" x2=\"61.0\" y2=\"47.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"63.4\" y1=\"60.5\" x2=\"60.8\" y2=\"59.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"53.5\" y1=\"70.4\" x2=\"52.0\" y2=\"67.8\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"40.0\" y1=\"74.0\" x2=\"40.0\" y2=\"68.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"26.5\" y1=\"70.4\" x2=\"28.0\" y2=\"67.8\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"16.6\" y1=\"60.5\" x2=\"19.2\" y2=\"59.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"13.0\" y1=\"47.0\" x2=\"19.0\" y2=\"47.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"16.6\" y1=\"33.5\" x2=\"19.2\" y2=\"35.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"26.5\" y1=\"23.6\" x2=\"28.0\" y2=\"26.2\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"n\">1<\/span><\/div><div class=\"tx\"><p class=\"lb\">Part one of five<\/p><h2 id=\"part-1\">What worry time is<\/h2><p class=\"sb\">A worry you postpone isn\u2019t a worry you ignore<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Worry time, sometimes called <em class=\"eqi\">worry postponement<\/em>, grew out of work by the psychologist <span class=\"gl\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-describedby=\"gd-1\">Thomas Borkovec<span class=\"gd\" role=\"tooltip\" id=\"gd-1\"><b>Thomas Borkovec<\/b>American clinical psychologist at Penn State University whose research shaped how worry and generalized anxiety disorder are understood and treated. Worry postponement grew out of his work.<\/span><\/span> and his colleagues. They noticed that for people who worry a lot, worry had stopped belonging anywhere in particular. It could start in the shower, at a traffic light, halfway through a conversation or the moment the light went off at night. <strong class=\"eqb\">Almost anything could become a cue for it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Their idea borrowed from what was already known about how habits are learned. If worry has become attached to nearly every situation, the goal is to shrink the number of situations it\u2019s attached to. They called this <em class=\"eqi\">stimulus control<\/em>, and the instructions they gave back then are very close to what people still use today.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:14px;margin-bottom:40px\"><ol class=\"wt-steps\"><li><span class=\"n\">1<\/span><p class=\"when\">Once<\/p><p class=\"t\">Choose a time and a place.<\/p><p class=\"d\">The same fifteen to thirty minutes each day, somewhere you can sit and think, and not in bed or right before you go to sleep.<\/p><\/li><li><span class=\"n\">2<\/span><p class=\"when\">Through the day<\/p><p class=\"t\">Notice when a worry starts.<\/p><p class=\"d\">The skill is catching it early, while it\u2019s still a single thought rather than a whole evening.<\/p><\/li><li><span class=\"n\">3<\/span><p class=\"when\">Through the day<\/p><p class=\"t\">Postpone it.<\/p><p class=\"d\">Write it down in a few words, tell yourself you\u2019ll come back to it at worry time, and bring your attention back to whatever is in front of you.<\/p><\/li><li><span class=\"n\">4<\/span><p class=\"when\">At worry time<\/p><p class=\"t\">Keep the appointment.<\/p><p class=\"d\">At worry time, worry on purpose. Go through the list, think about each item properly, and stop when the time is up.<\/p><\/li><\/ol><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">That\u2019s the whole method. There\u2019s no special notebook, no app you have to buy, and no expectation that you\u2019ll stop having worries. <strong class=\"eqb\">The worries are allowed. They\u2019re simply given a place to go.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">It\u2019s easy to hear this and assume the point is to avoid difficult thoughts, but it\u2019s closer to the opposite. You\u2019re not refusing the worry. You\u2019re promising it your full attention later, at a time when you can actually give it some.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:40px\"><style>\n.wt-day{margin:0;background:#faf8f3;border:1.5px solid #ebe4d6;border-radius:20px;padding:clamp(22px,3.4vw,34px)}\n.wt-day .hd{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:baseline;gap:16px;margin:0 0 14px}\n.wt-day .ti{font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#3a3871;margin:0}\n.wt-day .un{font-size:13px;color:#6b6259;margin:0}\n.wt-day .tg-row{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:8px;margin:0 0 16px}\n.wt-day .tg-row button{font:600 15px\/1.2 \"Work Sans\",sans-serif;border-radius:999px;cursor:pointer;padding:10px 17px;min-height:44px;border:1.5px solid #e8e1d5;background:#fff;color:#26231f;transition:background .16s ease}\n.wt-day .tg-row button:hover{background:#f7eeec}\n.wt-day .tg-row button:focus-visible{outline:2px solid #b0413e;outline-offset:2px}\n.wt-day .tg-row button[aria-pressed=true]{background:#3a3871;border-color:#3a3871;color:#fff}\n.wt-day .dial{position:relative;width:min(100%,420px);aspect-ratio:1;margin:0 auto}\n.wt-day svg{position:absolute;inset:0;width:100%;height:100%;overflow:visible}\n.wt-day .ring{fill:#fff;stroke:#e3ddd0;stroke-width:1.5}\n.wt-day .tk{stroke:#b9b4a8;stroke-width:1.5;stroke-linecap:round}\n.wt-day .wd{fill:#f6d5d1;stroke:#b0413e;stroke-width:1.5;opacity:.35;transition:opacity .5s ease}\n.wt-day.on .wd{opacity:1}\n.wt-day circle.w{}\n.wt-day .dots circle{fill:#b0413e;fill-opacity:.78;transform-box:fill-box;transform-origin:center;transform:translate(0,0) scale(1);transition:transform .9s cubic-bezier(.22,.61,.36,1)}\n.wt-day.on .dots circle{transform:translate(var(--dx),var(--dy)) scale(.5)}\n.wt-day .hr,.wt-day .tg{position:absolute;transform:translate(-50%,-50%);white-space:nowrap;font-family:\"Work Sans\",sans-serif}\n.wt-day .hr{font-size:13px;font-weight:600;color:#6b6259}\n.wt-day .tg{font-size:13px;color:#4a433c;background:rgba(255,255,255,.9);padding:2px 6px;border-radius:6px;transition:opacity .4s ease}\n.wt-day.on .tg{opacity:0}\n.wt-day .mid{position:absolute;left:50%;top:59%;transform:translate(-50%,-50%);width:30%;margin:0;text-align:center;font-family:\"Work Sans\",sans-serif}\n.wt-day .mid b{display:block;font-size:clamp(28px,5vw,40px);line-height:1;font-weight:700;color:#26231f;font-variant-numeric:tabular-nums}\n.wt-day .mid span{display:block;font-size:13px;line-height:1.35;color:#6b6259;margin-top:5px}\n.wt-day figcaption{font-size:15.5px;line-height:1.6;color:#6b6259;margin:18px 0 0;padding-top:14px;border-top:1px solid #ebe4d6}\n@media(max-width:520px){.wt-day{padding:20px 14px;border-radius:16px;margin:0 -12px!important}.wt-day .tg{font-size:12px}.wt-day .hr{font-size:12px}.wt-day .mid span{font-size:13px}}@media(max-width:600px){.wt-day .dial{margin:0 auto 64px}.wt-day .mid{top:calc(100% + 12px);transform:translate(-50%,0);width:100%}.wt-day .tg:nth-of-type(5){left:70%!important;top:51%!important}.wt-day .tg:nth-of-type(6){left:58%!important;top:73%!important}.wt-day .tg:nth-of-type(7){left:36%!important;top:62%!important}.wt-day .tg:nth-of-type(8){left:42%!important;top:24.5%!important}}\n@media(prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.wt-day .dots circle,.wt-day .wd,.wt-day .tg{transition:none!important}}\n<\/style><figure class=\"wt-day\" id=\"wt-day\"><div class=\"hd\"><p class=\"ti\">A day of worries<\/p><p class=\"un\">try it here<\/p><\/div><div class=\"tg-row\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Show the day\"><button type=\"button\" data-on=\"0\" aria-pressed=\"true\">without worry time<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-on=\"1\" aria-pressed=\"false\">with worry time<\/button><\/div><div class=\"dial\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"A 24-hour clock. Without worry time, sixteen worries are scattered across the whole day. With worry time, they gather into one half-hour slot at 6 pm.\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 400 400\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><circle class=\"ring\" cx=\"200\" cy=\"200\" r=\"162\"\/><path class=\"wd\" d=\"M200 200 L38.0 200.0 A162 162 0 0 1 39.4 178.9 Z\"\/><g class=\"tk\"><line x1=\"200.0\" y1=\"34.0\" x2=\"200.0\" y2=\"24.0\"\/><line x1=\"243.0\" y1=\"39.7\" x2=\"244.3\" y2=\"34.8\"\/><line x1=\"283.0\" y1=\"56.2\" x2=\"285.5\" y2=\"51.9\"\/><line x1=\"317.4\" y1=\"82.6\" x2=\"320.9\" y2=\"79.1\"\/><line x1=\"343.8\" y1=\"117.0\" x2=\"348.1\" y2=\"114.5\"\/><line x1=\"360.3\" y1=\"157.0\" x2=\"365.2\" y2=\"155.7\"\/><line x1=\"366.0\" y1=\"200.0\" x2=\"376.0\" y2=\"200.0\"\/><line x1=\"360.3\" y1=\"243.0\" x2=\"365.2\" y2=\"244.3\"\/><line x1=\"343.8\" y1=\"283.0\" x2=\"348.1\" y2=\"285.5\"\/><line x1=\"317.4\" y1=\"317.4\" x2=\"320.9\" y2=\"320.9\"\/><line x1=\"283.0\" y1=\"343.8\" x2=\"285.5\" y2=\"348.1\"\/><line x1=\"243.0\" y1=\"360.3\" x2=\"244.3\" y2=\"365.2\"\/><line x1=\"200.0\" y1=\"366.0\" x2=\"200.0\" y2=\"376.0\"\/><line x1=\"157.0\" y1=\"360.3\" x2=\"155.7\" y2=\"365.2\"\/><line x1=\"117.0\" y1=\"343.8\" x2=\"114.5\" y2=\"348.1\"\/><line x1=\"82.6\" y1=\"317.4\" x2=\"79.1\" y2=\"320.9\"\/><line x1=\"56.2\" y1=\"283.0\" x2=\"51.9\" y2=\"285.5\"\/><line x1=\"39.7\" y1=\"243.0\" x2=\"34.8\" y2=\"244.3\"\/><line x1=\"34.0\" y1=\"200.0\" x2=\"24.0\" y2=\"200.0\"\/><line x1=\"39.7\" y1=\"157.0\" x2=\"34.8\" y2=\"155.7\"\/><line x1=\"56.2\" y1=\"117.0\" x2=\"51.9\" y2=\"114.5\"\/><line x1=\"82.6\" y1=\"82.6\" x2=\"79.1\" y2=\"79.1\"\/><line x1=\"117.0\" y1=\"56.2\" x2=\"114.5\" y2=\"51.9\"\/><line x1=\"157.0\" y1=\"39.7\" x2=\"155.7\" y2=\"34.8\"\/><\/g><g class=\"dots\"><circle cx=\"223.5\" cy=\"51.8\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-61.4px;--dy:146.6px;transition-delay:0ms\"\/><circle cx=\"285.0\" cy=\"76.4\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-130.0px;--dy:119.6px;transition-delay:22ms\"\/><circle cx=\"345.9\" cy=\"235.0\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-198.2px;--dy:-37.2px;transition-delay:44ms\"\/><circle cx=\"337.0\" cy=\"261.0\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-196.4px;--dy:-66.3px;transition-delay:66ms\"\/><circle cx=\"319.0\" cy=\"291.3\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-185.7px;--dy:-94.1px;transition-delay:88ms\"\/><circle cx=\"281.7\" cy=\"325.8\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-155.4px;--dy:-132.4px;transition-delay:110ms\"\/><circle cx=\"231.2\" cy=\"346.7\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-112.3px;--dy:-150.1px;transition-delay:132ms\"\/><circle cx=\"172.7\" cy=\"347.5\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-60.7px;--dy:-155.3px;transition-delay:154ms\"\/><circle cx=\"121.6\" cy=\"327.9\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-17.1px;--dy:-131.9px;transition-delay:176ms\"\/><circle cx=\"83.4\" cy=\"294.4\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:14.2px;--dy:-103.5px;transition-delay:198ms\"\/><circle cx=\"60.0\" cy=\"253.8\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:30.1px;--dy:-58.4px;transition-delay:220ms\"\/><circle cx=\"78.6\" cy=\"111.8\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:4.6px;--dy:77.7px;transition-delay:242ms\"\/><circle cx=\"115.0\" cy=\"76.4\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-39.3px;--dy:118.4px;transition-delay:264ms\"\/><circle cx=\"146.2\" cy=\"60.0\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-77.3px;--dy:128.3px;transition-delay:286ms\"\/><circle cx=\"168.8\" cy=\"53.3\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-107.5px;--dy:140.9px;transition-delay:308ms\"\/><circle cx=\"192.1\" cy=\"50.2\" r=\"7\" style=\"--dx:-137.6px;--dy:136.8px;transition-delay:330ms\"\/><\/g><\/svg><span class=\"hr\" style=\"left:50.0%;top:3.5%\">midnight<\/span><span class=\"hr\" style=\"left:96.5%;top:50.0%\">6 am<\/span><span class=\"hr\" style=\"left:50.0%;top:96.5%\">noon<\/span><span class=\"hr\" style=\"left:3.5%;top:50.0%\">6 pm<\/span><span class=\"tg\" style=\"left:73.8%;top:60.6%\">in the shower<\/span><span class=\"tg\" style=\"left:63.6%;top:71.0%\">at a red light<\/span><span class=\"tg\" style=\"left:36.4%;top:72.2%\">in a meeting<\/span><span class=\"tg\" style=\"left:40.1%;top:24.3%\">in bed<\/span><p class=\"mid\" aria-live=\"polite\"><b id=\"wt-dn\">16<\/b><span id=\"wt-dt\">times a worry starts<\/span><\/p><\/div><figcaption>An illustration, not anyone\u2019s real day. Worry time doesn\u2019t make the worries disappear, but it lets the rest of the day be about something else.<\/figcaption><script>(function(){var f=document.getElementById(\"wt-day\");if(!f){return;}var bs=f.querySelectorAll(\".tg-row button\"),n=document.getElementById(\"wt-dn\"),t=document.getElementById(\"wt-dt\");\nvar set=function(on){f.classList.toggle(\"on\",on);Array.prototype.forEach.call(bs,function(b){b.setAttribute(\"aria-pressed\",String((b.getAttribute(\"data-on\")===\"1\")===on));});n.textContent=on?\"1\":\"16\";t.textContent=on?\"half hour at 6 pm\":\"times a worry starts\";};\nArray.prototype.forEach.call(bs,function(b){b.addEventListener(\"click\",function(){set(b.getAttribute(\"data-on\")===\"1\");});});})();<\/script><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:92px;margin-bottom:34px\"><div class=\"wt-part clk\"><div class=\"no\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 80 88\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path class=\"ln\" d=\"M22 13 16 7M58 13 64 7M40 10V4\"\/><path class=\"ln\" d=\"M22 74 16 83M58 74 64 83\"\/><circle cx=\"40\" cy=\"47\" r=\"33\" class=\"rim\"\/><path class=\"sl\" d=\"M40 47 L40 19 A28 28 0 0 1 56.5 69.7 Z\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"40.0\" y1=\"20.0\" x2=\"40.0\" y2=\"26.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"53.5\" y1=\"23.6\" x2=\"52.0\" y2=\"26.2\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"63.4\" y1=\"33.5\" x2=\"60.8\" y2=\"35.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"67.0\" y1=\"47.0\" x2=\"61.0\" y2=\"47.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"63.4\" y1=\"60.5\" x2=\"60.8\" y2=\"59.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"53.5\" y1=\"70.4\" x2=\"52.0\" y2=\"67.8\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"40.0\" y1=\"74.0\" x2=\"40.0\" y2=\"68.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"26.5\" y1=\"70.4\" x2=\"28.0\" y2=\"67.8\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"16.6\" y1=\"60.5\" x2=\"19.2\" y2=\"59.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"13.0\" y1=\"47.0\" x2=\"19.0\" y2=\"47.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"16.6\" y1=\"33.5\" x2=\"19.2\" y2=\"35.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"26.5\" y1=\"23.6\" x2=\"28.0\" y2=\"26.2\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"n\">2<\/span><\/div><div class=\"tx\"><p class=\"lb\">Part two of five<\/p><h2 id=\"part-2\">Why \u201cnot now\u201d works better than \u201cstop it\u201d<\/h2><p class=\"sb\">What postponing does that fighting a thought can\u2019t<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"trying-not-to-think-about-something-keeps-it-close\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">Trying not to think about something keeps it close<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Try not to think about a white bear for the next minute, and notice what turns up. In the famous <strong class=\"eqb\">white bear experiment<\/strong>, people told not to think about one kept thinking about it, and it came back even more once they were allowed to. To make sure you\u2019re not thinking about something, part of your mind has to keep checking for it, and that checking keeps the thought within reach. When you\u2019re stressed, tired or distracted, the checking tends to win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Postponing sidesteps that problem. Instead of asking your mind to stop producing the thought, you give it a time and a place, which is <strong class=\"eqb\">a much easier instruction to follow than \u201cnever\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"worry-learns-where-it-lives\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">Worry learns where it lives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Worry is partly a habit, and habits attach themselves to places and times. If you\u2019ve spent many nights going over the next day in bed, bed itself can start to feel like a signal to begin. Worry time slowly teaches the opposite: <strong class=\"eqb\">worry happens here, at this time, and not everywhere else<\/strong>. That\u2019s also why the choice of place matters, and why the one place worry time shouldn\u2019t happen is where you sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"many-worries-shrink-while-they-wait\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">Many worries shrink while they wait<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Something surprising tends to happen when people first try this. By the time the appointment comes around, a good number of the worries on the list no longer feel urgent. Some have been answered by the day itself. Some turn out to have been a mood rather than a problem. A few still matter, and those are exactly the ones worth your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">There\u2019s research that fits this. People with <span class=\"gl\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-describedby=\"gd-2\"><em class=\"eqi\">generalized anxiety disorder<\/em><span class=\"gd\" role=\"tooltip\" id=\"gd-2\"><b>generalized anxiety disorder<\/b>A condition in which worry is frequent, hard to control and spread across many areas of life, most days for at least several months, often with tension, tiredness and poor sleep.<\/span><\/span> kept a worry journal for ten days as part of a treatment study, and later checked what actually happened. <strong class=\"eqb\">More than nine in ten of their worries didn\u2019t come true<\/strong>, and the people who saw this most clearly improved the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">It was a small study of 29 people, so it tells us about that group rather than about everyone. But it does help explain why a worry that seemed enormous at eleven at night can look quite different at six the next evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"worry-keeps-the-body-on-alert\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">Worry keeps the body on alert<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Worry isn\u2019t only something that happens in your head. Researchers call the repetitive thinking behind worry and rumination <em class=\"eqi\">perseverative cognition<\/em>, and a large body of work suggests it can <strong class=\"eqb\">keep your body braced long after the moment has passed<\/strong>: a faster heart, higher blood pressure and more of the stress hormone cortisol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">So the hours that worry no longer fills may also be hours in which your body gets a proper break.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:92px;margin-bottom:34px\"><div class=\"wt-part clk\"><div class=\"no\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 80 88\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path class=\"ln\" d=\"M22 13 16 7M58 13 64 7M40 10V4\"\/><path class=\"ln\" d=\"M22 74 16 83M58 74 64 83\"\/><circle cx=\"40\" cy=\"47\" r=\"33\" class=\"rim\"\/><path class=\"sl\" d=\"M40 47 L40 19 A28 28 0 1 1 23.5 69.7 Z\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"40.0\" y1=\"20.0\" x2=\"40.0\" y2=\"26.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"53.5\" y1=\"23.6\" x2=\"52.0\" y2=\"26.2\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"63.4\" y1=\"33.5\" x2=\"60.8\" y2=\"35.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"67.0\" y1=\"47.0\" x2=\"61.0\" y2=\"47.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"63.4\" y1=\"60.5\" x2=\"60.8\" y2=\"59.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"53.5\" y1=\"70.4\" x2=\"52.0\" y2=\"67.8\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"40.0\" y1=\"74.0\" x2=\"40.0\" y2=\"68.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"26.5\" y1=\"70.4\" x2=\"28.0\" y2=\"67.8\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"16.6\" y1=\"60.5\" x2=\"19.2\" y2=\"59.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"13.0\" y1=\"47.0\" x2=\"19.0\" y2=\"47.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"16.6\" y1=\"33.5\" x2=\"19.2\" y2=\"35.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"26.5\" y1=\"23.6\" x2=\"28.0\" y2=\"26.2\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"n\">3<\/span><\/div><div class=\"tx\"><p class=\"lb\">Part three of five<\/p><h2 id=\"part-3\">How to use it<\/h2><p class=\"sb\">Setting up the appointment, what to do during it, and the awkward first week<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"setting-up-the-appointment\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">Setting up the appointment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Pick a time you can realistically keep on most days. Early evening works well for many people: late enough that most of the day\u2019s worries have had a chance to turn up, and early enough that there\u2019s time to wind down before bed. <strong class=\"eqb\">Fifteen to thirty minutes is enough.<\/strong> The studies used thirty, but fifteen is a fine place to start, and you can make it longer if you keep running out of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">It also helps to decide in advance exactly what you\u2019ll do when a worry appears. In one trial, people who made a specific <a href=\"\/if-then-plans\/\" style=\"color:#b0413e;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1.5px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\"><em class=\"eqi\">if&#45;then plan<\/em><\/a>, like \u201cif I notice I\u2019m worrying before six, I\u2019ll write it down and save it for worry time\u201d, spent around fifteen minutes less a day worrying than people who postponed their worries without one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"what-to-do-during-worry-time\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">What to do during worry time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Go through the list one item at a time. For each worry, ask a practical question: <strong class=\"eqb\">is there anything I can actually do about this?<\/strong> If there is, decide on the next small step and when you\u2019ll take it. If there isn\u2019t, admit that it\u2019s out of your hands, at least for now. And if the worry has already sorted itself out, cross it off, which is more satisfying than it sounds!<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:34px;margin-bottom:40px\"><figure class=\"wt-list\" id=\"wt-list\"><div class=\"hd\"><p class=\"ti\">Your worry list<\/p><p class=\"un\">try it here<\/p><\/div><p class=\"when\"><label for=\"wt-time\">Worry time today at<\/label><select id=\"wt-time\"><option>5:00 pm<\/option><option selected>6:00 pm<\/option><option>7:00 pm<\/option><option>8:00 pm<\/option><\/select><\/p><form id=\"wt-form\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wt-in\" maxlength=\"90\" autocomplete=\"off\" placeholder=\"Something on your mind\" aria-label=\"A worry to postpone\"><button type=\"submit\">Not now, later<\/button><\/form><div class=\"timer\" id=\"wt-timer\" aria-live=\"polite\"><span class=\"clock\" id=\"wt-clock\">15:00<\/span><span class=\"tl\" id=\"wt-tl\">Fifteen minutes. Give each worry a real answer.<\/span><\/div><ul id=\"wt-items\"><li><div class=\"w\"><span>The email I sent on Tuesday<\/span><span class=\"ex\">example<\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"x\" aria-label=\"Remove this worry\">&#215;<\/button><\/div><div class=\"ch\"><button type=\"button\" data-a=\"act\">I can do something<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-a=\"out\">Out of my hands<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-a=\"sorted\">Already sorted<\/button><\/div><p class=\"res\"><\/p><div class=\"step\"><input type=\"text\" maxlength=\"90\" autocomplete=\"off\" placeholder=\"The next small step, and when\" aria-label=\"The next small step, and when\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"set\">Set it<\/button><\/div><p class=\"plan\"><span class=\"pt\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"ed\">change<\/button><\/p><\/li><li><div class=\"w\"><span>Whether I locked the back door<\/span><span class=\"ex\">example<\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"x\" aria-label=\"Remove this worry\">&#215;<\/button><\/div><div class=\"ch\"><button type=\"button\" data-a=\"act\">I can do something<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-a=\"out\">Out of my hands<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-a=\"sorted\">Already sorted<\/button><\/div><p class=\"res\"><\/p><div class=\"step\"><input type=\"text\" maxlength=\"90\" autocomplete=\"off\" placeholder=\"The next small step, and when\" aria-label=\"The next small step, and when\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"set\">Set it<\/button><\/div><p class=\"plan\"><span class=\"pt\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"ed\">change<\/button><\/p><\/li><li><div class=\"w\"><span>The presentation next week<\/span><span class=\"ex\">example<\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"x\" aria-label=\"Remove this worry\">&#215;<\/button><\/div><div class=\"ch\"><button type=\"button\" data-a=\"act\">I can do something<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-a=\"out\">Out of my hands<\/button><button type=\"button\" data-a=\"sorted\">Already sorted<\/button><\/div><p class=\"res\"><\/p><div class=\"step\"><input type=\"text\" maxlength=\"90\" autocomplete=\"off\" placeholder=\"The next small step, and when\" aria-label=\"The next small step, and when\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"set\">Set it<\/button><\/div><p class=\"plan\"><span class=\"pt\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"ed\">change<\/button><\/p><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"ctl\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"go\" id=\"wt-go\">It&#8217;s worry time<\/button><button type=\"button\" id=\"wt-reset\">Start a new day<\/button><\/div><p class=\"sum\" id=\"wt-sum\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p><div class=\"bar\" id=\"wt-bar\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><i class=\"b1\"><\/i><i class=\"b2\"><\/i><i class=\"b3\"><\/i><i class=\"b4\"><\/i><\/div><div class=\"legend\" id=\"wt-legend\"><span><i class=\"b1\" style=\"background:#3a3871\"><\/i>next step<\/span><span><i style=\"background:#b9b2a7\"><\/i>out of my hands<\/span><span><i style=\"background:#bcb9dd\"><\/i>already sorted<\/span><span id=\"wt-lglater\" style=\"display:none\"><i style=\"background:#ecd6d0\"><\/i>moved to tomorrow<\/span><\/div><div class=\"plans\" id=\"wt-plans\" aria-live=\"polite\"><p class=\"pl\">Your next steps<\/p><ol id=\"wt-pl\"><\/ol><button type=\"button\" id=\"wt-copy\">Copy them<\/button><\/div><p class=\"priv\">Nothing you type here is saved or sent anywhere.<\/p><figcaption>At worry time each worry gets a real answer: a next step, an honest out of my hands, or a line through it. And when the fifteen minutes are up, the rest can wait for tomorrow.<\/figcaption><script>(function(){var f=document.getElementById(\"wt-list\");if(!f){return;}var ul=document.getElementById(\"wt-items\"),form=document.getElementById(\"wt-form\"),inp=document.getElementById(\"wt-in\"),go=document.getElementById(\"wt-go\"),rs=document.getElementById(\"wt-reset\"),sum=document.getElementById(\"wt-sum\"),tm=document.getElementById(\"wt-time\"),tmr=document.getElementById(\"wt-timer\"),clk=document.getElementById(\"wt-clock\"),tl=document.getElementById(\"wt-tl\"),bar=document.getElementById(\"wt-bar\"),leg=document.getElementById(\"wt-legend\"),lgl=document.getElementById(\"wt-lglater\"),pls=document.getElementById(\"wt-plans\"),plo=document.getElementById(\"wt-pl\"),cp=document.getElementById(\"wt-copy\");var plans=function(){var a=[];Array.prototype.forEach.call(ul.querySelectorAll(\"li.planned .pt\"),function(x){a.push(x.textContent);});plo.innerHTML=\"\";a.forEach(function(t){var o=document.createElement(\"li\");o.textContent=t;plo.appendChild(o);});pls.className=a.length?\"plans on\":\"plans\";cp.textContent=\"Copy them\";return a;};cp.addEventListener(\"click\",function(){var t=plans().map(function(x,i){return (i+1)+\". \"+x;}).join(\"\\n\");if(navigator.clipboard){navigator.clipboard.writeText(t).then(function(){cp.textContent=\"Copied\";},function(){cp.textContent=\"Could not copy, select the list instead\";});}});var setPlan=function(li){var si=li.querySelector(\".step input\"),v=si.value.replace(\/^\\s+|\\s+$\/g,\"\");if(!v){si.focus();return;}li.querySelector(\".pt\").textContent=v;li.classList.add(\"planned\");plans();};var TPL=ul.querySelector(\"li\").cloneNode(true);var RES={act:\"A next step:\",out:\"Out of your hands, at least for now.\",sorted:\"Already sorted itself out.\"};var tick=null,left=900;var fmt=function(n){var m=Math.floor(n\/60),s=n%60;return m+\":\"+(s<10?\"0\":\"\")+s;};var tags=function(){Array.prototype.forEach.call(ul.querySelectorAll(\".tag\"),function(t){t.textContent=\"saved for \"+tm.value;});};var tally=function(){var li=ul.querySelectorAll(\"li\"),n=li.length,d=0,c={act:0,out:0,sorted:0,later:0};Array.prototype.forEach.call(li,function(x){var a=x.getAttribute(\"data-r\");if(a){d++;c[a]++;}});bar.className=\"bar\";leg.className=\"legend\";lgl.style.display=c.later?\"inline-flex\":\"none\";if(!f.classList.contains(\"review\")){sum.textContent=n?(n+(n===1?\" worry\":\" worries\")+\" waiting for \"+tm.value+\".\"):\"Nothing on the list. 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Anything left can go on tomorrow\u2019s list.\";Array.prototype.forEach.call(ul.querySelectorAll(\"li\"),function(x){if(!x.getAttribute(\"data-r\")){x.setAttribute(\"data-r\",\"later\");x.className=\"done later\";x.querySelector(\".res\").textContent=\"Moved to tomorrow\u2019s list.\";}});tally();}},1000);tally();});rs.addEventListener(\"click\",function(){stop();f.classList.remove(\"review\");Array.prototype.forEach.call(ul.querySelectorAll(\"li\"),function(x){x.removeAttribute(\"data-r\");x.className=\"\";x.querySelector(\".res\").textContent=\"\";x.querySelector(\".pt\").textContent=\"\";var si=x.querySelector(\".step input\");if(si){si.value=\"\";}});plans();tally();});tm.addEventListener(\"change\",function(){tags();tally();});tally();})();<\/script><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">When the time is up, stop, even if you\u2019re in the middle of something. Anything unfinished can go on tomorrow\u2019s list. <strong class=\"eqb\">Stopping on time is part of the practice<\/strong>, because it teaches your mind that the appointment has an end as well as a beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"when-a-worry-cant-wait\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">When a worry can\u2019t wait<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Some worries really do need something today: a bill that\u2019s due tomorrow, a call you have to return, a lump you want checked. Worry time isn\u2019t about ignoring those. <strong class=\"eqb\">If something needs doing today, do it, and postpone only the worrying about it.<\/strong> Make the call, pay the bill, book the appointment, and then let the going over and over wait until six.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"the-first-week-is-the-hardest\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">The first week is the hardest<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Most people find postponing awkward at first. The worry arrives, you write it down, and five minutes later it arrives again. That\u2019s normal, and every time you notice it and set it aside again <strong class=\"eqb\">counts as practice, not failure<\/strong>. It usually gets easier once your mind has seen, a few times over, that the appointment really does happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">It works for children too. In one study, 9&#45; to 13&#45;year&#45;olds who saved their worries for a half&#45;hour slot in the evening had fewer worrying thoughts afterward, which makes it a nice thing to try together as a family.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<style>.eqp .eq-kp{display:grid;grid-template-columns:auto minmax(0,1fr);gap:4px 16px;align-items:start;background:#f1f1f8;border:0;border-left:4px solid #3a3871;border-radius:4px 18px 18px 4px;padding:20px 26px;margin:6px 0 34px}.eqp .eq-kp .mk{grid-row:1\/3;width:40px;height:40px;border-radius:50%;background:#fff;color:#3a3871;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center}.eqp .eq-kp .mk svg{width:21px;height:21px}.eqp .eq-kp .k{font-family:\"Work Sans\",sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.16em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#3a3871;margin:2px 0 4px}.eqp .eq-kp .t{font-family:\"Work Sans\",sans-serif;font-size:clamp(15px,calc(10.6px + .72vw),19px);font-weight:500;line-height:1.55;color:#26231f;margin:0}@media(max-width:560px){.eqp .eq-kp{grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr);padding:18px 20px}.eqp .eq-kp .mk{grid-row:auto;width:34px;height:34px}}<\/style><aside class=\"eq-kp\"><span class=\"mk\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.7\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><path d=\"M6.5 3.5h11a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v15.6a.5.5 0 0 1-.78.42L12 16.4l-5.72 4.12a.5.5 0 0 1-.78-.42V4.5a1 1 0 0 1 1-1z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><p class=\"k\">Worth remembering<\/p><p class=\"t\">You\u2019re not trying to stop worrying. You\u2019re teaching worry when and where it\u2019s allowed to happen.<\/p><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:92px;margin-bottom:34px\"><div class=\"wt-part clk\"><div class=\"no\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 80 88\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path class=\"ln\" d=\"M22 13 16 7M58 13 64 7M40 10V4\"\/><path class=\"ln\" d=\"M22 74 16 83M58 74 64 83\"\/><circle cx=\"40\" cy=\"47\" r=\"33\" class=\"rim\"\/><path class=\"sl\" d=\"M40 47 L40 19 A28 28 0 1 1 13.4 38.3 Z\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"40.0\" y1=\"20.0\" x2=\"40.0\" y2=\"26.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"53.5\" y1=\"23.6\" x2=\"52.0\" y2=\"26.2\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"63.4\" y1=\"33.5\" x2=\"60.8\" y2=\"35.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"67.0\" y1=\"47.0\" x2=\"61.0\" y2=\"47.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"63.4\" y1=\"60.5\" x2=\"60.8\" y2=\"59.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"53.5\" y1=\"70.4\" x2=\"52.0\" y2=\"67.8\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"40.0\" y1=\"74.0\" x2=\"40.0\" y2=\"68.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"26.5\" y1=\"70.4\" x2=\"28.0\" y2=\"67.8\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"16.6\" y1=\"60.5\" x2=\"19.2\" y2=\"59.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"13.0\" y1=\"47.0\" x2=\"19.0\" y2=\"47.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"16.6\" y1=\"33.5\" x2=\"19.2\" y2=\"35.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"26.5\" y1=\"23.6\" x2=\"28.0\" y2=\"26.2\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"n\">4<\/span><\/div><div class=\"tx\"><p class=\"lb\">Part four of five<\/p><h2 id=\"part-4\">When worry turns up at night<\/h2><p class=\"sb\">A notepad by the bed, tomorrow\u2019s list, and a few minutes on paper before a big moment<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"a-notepad-by-the-bed\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">A notepad by the bed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Night is where a lot of worry happens, because there\u2019s nothing else to hold your attention. If a worry arrives in bed, don\u2019t try to solve it there. Keep a notepad and pen by the bed, write it down in a few words, add \u201ctomorrow at six\u201d, and turn the light back off. <strong class=\"eqb\">Writing it down seems to tell your mind it\u2019s been caught and won\u2019t be lost.<\/strong> You don\u2019t need to keep it in your head overnight to keep it safe.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div class=\"wt-help\"><p class=\"lb\">Try this<\/p><p class=\"ld\">When a worry wakes you up:<\/p><ul><li>Write it down in a few words, with no solving and no pros and cons.<\/li><li>Add \u201ctomorrow at six\u201d, or whenever your worry time is.<\/li><li>Take a few slow breaths and turn your attention to something neutral, like the feel of the pillow or the sounds in the room.<\/li><li>If it keeps coming back, get up for a few minutes somewhere dim and quiet, then try again.<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"empty-your-head-before-bed\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">Empty your head before bed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Two small studies suggest the evening is a good time to get things out of your head. In one, people who spent five minutes before bed writing <strong class=\"eqb\">a specific to&#45;do list for the next few days fell asleep faster<\/strong> than people who wrote about what they\u2019d already done. In another, students with sleep problems who wrote down their worries in the early evening, along with a possible next step for each, felt less keyed up at bedtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Both fit the idea of worry time: give your worries somewhere to go before bed, so they don\u2019t have to follow you into it. If sleep is the bigger problem, there\u2019s more on how insomnia keeps itself going in <a href=\"\/surprisingly-busy-business-of-sleeping\/\" style=\"color:#b0413e;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1.5px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">the article on sleep<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"before-a-big-moment\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">Before a big moment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">The same idea can help before an exam, an interview or a difficult conversation. A few minutes of writing down what you\u2019re worried about can help you put a name to it and set it down before you walk in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">An early set of studies found that students who wrote about their exam worries beforehand did better, but <strong class=\"eqb\">larger attempts to repeat those studies found no benefit<\/strong>. So treat it as something worth trying rather than a proven fix. If it helps you feel steadier, that\u2019s reason enough.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:92px;margin-bottom:34px\"><div class=\"wt-part clk\"><div class=\"no\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 80 88\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path class=\"ln\" d=\"M22 13 16 7M58 13 64 7M40 10V4\"\/><path class=\"ln\" d=\"M22 74 16 83M58 74 64 83\"\/><circle cx=\"40\" cy=\"47\" r=\"33\" class=\"rim\"\/><circle cx=\"40\" cy=\"47\" r=\"28\" class=\"sl\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"40.0\" y1=\"20.0\" x2=\"40.0\" y2=\"26.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"53.5\" y1=\"23.6\" x2=\"52.0\" y2=\"26.2\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"63.4\" y1=\"33.5\" x2=\"60.8\" y2=\"35.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"67.0\" y1=\"47.0\" x2=\"61.0\" y2=\"47.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"63.4\" y1=\"60.5\" x2=\"60.8\" y2=\"59.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"53.5\" y1=\"70.4\" x2=\"52.0\" y2=\"67.8\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"40.0\" y1=\"74.0\" x2=\"40.0\" y2=\"68.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"26.5\" y1=\"70.4\" x2=\"28.0\" y2=\"67.8\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"16.6\" y1=\"60.5\" x2=\"19.2\" y2=\"59.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"13.0\" y1=\"47.0\" x2=\"19.0\" y2=\"47.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"16.6\" y1=\"33.5\" x2=\"19.2\" y2=\"35.0\"\/><line class=\"tk\" x1=\"26.5\" y1=\"23.6\" x2=\"28.0\" y2=\"26.2\"\/><\/svg><span class=\"n\">5<\/span><\/div><div class=\"tx\"><p class=\"lb\">Part five of five<\/p><h2 id=\"part-5\">Worry or rumination<\/h2><p class=\"sb\">Two kinds of going over things, and when it\u2019s time for more than a technique<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"forward-and-backward\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">Forward and backward<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Worry and rumination are close relatives. Both mean going over the same ground again and again. <strong class=\"eqb\">Worry usually looks forward, to what might go wrong.<\/strong> <a href=\"\/overthinking\/\" style=\"color:#b0413e;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1.5px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Rumination usually looks back<\/a>, at what\u2019s already happened and why, and it\u2019s especially closely tied to low mood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"not-all-going-over-things-is-harmful\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">Not all going over things is harmful<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Going over things isn\u2019t always bad for you. A large review of the research found it\u2019s linked to depression and anxiety, but also to recovering after upsetting events and to good planning. One thing that seems to decide which way it goes is whether the thinking is abstract or concrete. Asking \u201cWhy does this always happen to me?\u201d tends to keep people stuck. Asking \u201cWhat happened, and what could I do next?\u201d is more likely to lead somewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">That\u2019s what the questions during worry time are for. \u201cIs there anything I can actually do about this?\u201d is a concrete question, and <strong class=\"eqb\">it turns going over something into deciding something<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"when-its-more-than-everyday-worry\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:72px;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">When it\u2019s more than everyday worry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Worry time is a useful tool, and it\u2019s often one part of <span class=\"gl\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-describedby=\"gd-3\"><em class=\"eqi\">cognitive behavioral therapy<\/em><span class=\"gd\" role=\"tooltip\" id=\"gd-3\"><b>cognitive behavioral therapy<\/b>A structured, present&#45;focused therapy that works on the links between what you think, how you feel and what you do. It usually involves practice between sessions.<\/span><\/span> rather than a treatment on its own. If worry is taking up large parts of most days, making it hard to sleep or work, or coming with tension, restlessness or low mood, it may be generalized anxiety disorder, which is common and very treatable. <strong class=\"eqb\">Talking therapy for it works well<\/strong>, and you don\u2019t need to have tried everything else first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">One exception: if the thoughts are frightening, feel out of character, and come with checking, rituals or asking for reassurance, they may be OCD. Writing them down or giving them an appointment can then feed the loop, so read <a href=\"\/what-is-ocd\/\" style=\"color:#b0413e;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1.5px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">our article on OCD<\/a> before trying worry time with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:26px;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">You\u2019ll still worry. Everyone does. What changes is where it happens: less in the shower, at the traffic light, halfway through a conversation or on the pillow, and more at six o\u2019clock, in a chair, with a pen, where you can actually look at what\u2019s on the list. <strong class=\"eqb\">Your worries still get their turn. They just stop getting all of it.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f86ed65e wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#f3f4fa;border-color:#dde0f0;border-width:1.5px;border-style:solid;border-radius:20px;margin-top:46px;margin-bottom:46px;padding:34px 38px\">\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:12px;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;line-height:1.4\">WHAT THE RESEARCH SUPPORTS<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">Across several trials, postponing worry to a set time and place led to <strong class=\"eqb\">a small but real drop in how often and how long people worried<\/strong>. In one study of 53 people who worried a lot, two weeks of a daily 30&#45;minute worry period in the same place reduced worry, anxiety and sleep problems more than a comparison group. A short, two&#45;session version with a therapist substantially reduced worry in people with generalized anxiety disorder, and the improvement was still there four weeks later.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d12c95ff wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7c590e6f wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#f8eeeb;border-color:#ecd6d0;border-width:1.5px;border-style:solid;border-radius:20px;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:46px;padding:34px 38px\">\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#3a3871;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:12px;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;line-height:1.4\">WORTH BEING CLEAR ABOUT<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#2a2622;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-size:clamp(14.082px, 0.88rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.786), 21px);line-height:1.68\">The evidence is encouraging, but it isn\u2019t unanimous. A version delivered entirely online, with no personal guidance, didn\u2019t reduce worry, and the people in it said they found postponing genuinely hard. A study of students who worried a lot about their health found no effect either, and in the trial where adding an if-then plan cut daily worry by fifteen minutes, sleep didn\u2019t improve. Most trials lasted between a week and a month, and longer follow-ups are still missing.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-69c879e7 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#faf8f3;border-color:#e8e1d5;border-width:1.5px;border-style:solid;border-radius:18px;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:44px;padding:30px 34px\">\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#6b6259;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:14px;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;line-height:1.4\">REFERENCES<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" style=\"color:#524a42;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.17), 15.5px);line-height:1.7\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/0005-7967(83)90206-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Borkovec, T. D., Wilkinson, L., Folensbee, R., &amp; Lerman, C. (1983). Stimulus control applications to the treatment of worry. <em>Behaviour Research and Therapy, 21<\/em>(3), 247-251.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jpsychores.2005.06.074\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Brosschot, J. F., Gerin, W., &amp; Thayer, J. F. (2006). The perseverative cognition hypothesis: A review of worry, prolonged stress&#45;related physiological activation, and health. <em>Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 60<\/em>(2), 113-124.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41562-018-0399-z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Camerer, C. F., Dreber, A., Holzmeister, F., Ho, T.&#45;H., Huber, J., Johannesson, M., Kirchler, M., Nave, G., Nosek, B. A., Pfeiffer, T., Altmejd, A., Buttrick, N., Chan, T., Chen, Y., Forsell, E., Gampa, A., Heikensten, E., Hummer, L., Imai, T., . . . Wu, H. (2018). Evaluating the replicability of social science experiments in Nature and Science between 2010 and 2015. <em>Nature Human Behaviour, 2<\/em>(9), 637-644.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/16506073.2018.1560358\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Carl, E., Witcraft, S. M., Kauffman, B. Y., Gillespie, E. M., Becker, E. S., Cuijpers, P., Van Ameringen, M., Smits, J. A. J., &amp; Powers, M. B. (2020). Psychological and pharmacological treatments for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): A meta&#45;analysis of randomized controlled trials. <em>Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 49<\/em>(1), 1-21.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1207\/s15402010bsm0401_2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Carney, C. E., &amp; Waters, W. F. (2006). Effects of a structured problem&#45;solving procedure on pre&#45;sleep cognitive arousal in college students with insomnia. <em>Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 4<\/em>(1), 13-28.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s41811-023-00193-x\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Dippel, A., Brosschot, J. F., &amp; Verkuil, B. (2024). Effects of worry postponement on daily worry: A meta&#45;analysis. <em>International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 17<\/em>(1), 160-178.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.socscimed.2009.04.031\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Jellesma, F. C., Verkuil, B., &amp; Brosschot, J. F. (2009). Postponing worrisome thoughts in children: The effects of a postponement intervention on perseverative thoughts, emotions and somatic complaints. <em>Social Science &amp; Medicine, 69<\/em>(2), 278-284.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.32872\/cpe.12741\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Krzikalla, C., Buhlmann, U., Schug, J., Kopei, I., Gerlach, A. L., Doebler, P., Morina, N., &amp; Andor, T. (2024). Worry postponement from the metacognitive perspective: A randomized waitlist-controlled trial. <em>Clinical Psychology in Europe, 6<\/em>(2), Article e12741.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.beth.2019.07.003\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">LaFreniere, L. S., &amp; Newman, M. G. (2020). Exposing worry&#8217;s deceit: Percentage of untrue worries in generalized anxiety disorder treatment. <em>Behavior Therapy, 51<\/em>(3), 413-423.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/08870446.2025.2590072\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">McCarrick, D., Prestwich, A., Ferguson, E., &amp; O&#8217;Connor, D. B. (2025). Effects of worry postponement on daily worry and sleep: A randomised controlled trial. <em>Psychology &amp; Health<\/em>. Advance online publication.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0145445512455661\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">McGowan, S. K., &amp; Behar, E. (2013). A preliminary investigation of stimulus control training for worry: Effects on anxiety and insomnia. <em>Behavior Modification, 37<\/em>(1), 90-112.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/08870446.2018.1562066\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Mobach, L., van Schie, H. T., &amp; N\u00e4ring, G. W. B. (2019). Application of a worry reduction intervention in a medically unexplained symptoms-analogue student-sample. <em>Psychology &amp; Health, 34<\/em>(6), 677-694.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s41235-021-00309-x\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Myers, S. J., Davis, S. D., &amp; Chan, J. C. K. (2021). Does expressive writing or an instructional intervention reduce the impacts of test anxiety in a college classroom? <em>Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 6<\/em>(1), Article 44.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/bul0000036\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Ottaviani, C., Thayer, J. F., Verkuil, B., Lonigro, A., Medea, B., Couyoumdjian, A., &amp; Brosschot, J. F. (2016). Physiological concomitants of perseverative cognition: A systematic review and meta-analysis. <em>Psychological Bulletin, 142<\/em>(3), 231-259.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.1199427\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Ramirez, G., &amp; Beilock, S. L. (2011). Writing about testing worries boosts exam performance in the classroom. <em>Science, 331<\/em>(6014), 211-213.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/xge0000374\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Scullin, M. K., Krueger, M. L., Ballard, H. K., Pruett, N., &amp; Bliwise, D. L. (2018). The effects of bedtime writing on difficulty falling asleep: A polysomnographic study comparing to&#45;do lists and completed activity lists. <em>Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 147<\/em>(1), 139-146.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/bjhp.12170\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Versluis, A., Verkuil, B., &amp; Brosschot, J. F. (2016). Reducing worry and subjective health complaints: A randomized trial of an internet-delivered worry postponement intervention. <em>British Journal of Health Psychology, 21<\/em>(2), 318-335.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0033-2909.134.2.163\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Watkins, E. R. (2008). Constructive and unconstructive repetitive thought. <em>Psychological Bulletin, 134<\/em>(2), 163-206.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0033-295x.101.1.34\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Wegner, D. M. (1994). Ironic processes of mental control. <em>Psychological Review, 101<\/em>(1), 34-52.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0022-3514.53.1.5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Wegner, D. M., Schneider, D. J., Carter, S. R., &amp; White, T. L. (1987). Paradoxical effects of thought suppression. <em>Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53<\/em>(1), 5-13.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#6b6259;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:14px;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;line-height:1.4\">BOOKS FROM OUR SHELF<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" style=\"color:#524a42;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.17), 15.5px);line-height:1.7\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.guilford.com\/books\/The-Anxiety-and-Worry-Workbook\/Clark-Beck\/9781462546169\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Clark, D. A., &amp; Beck, A. T. (2023). <em>The anxiety and worry workbook: The cognitive behavioral solution<\/em> (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apa.org\/pubs\/magination\/what-when-worry-too-much-second-edition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"color:inherit;text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-color:#f2cfcb\">Huebner, D. (2024). <em>What to do when you worry too much: A kid\u2019s guide to overcoming anxiety<\/em> (2nd ed.) [Children\u2019s book]. Magination Press.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"eq-lastrev\" style=\"margin:34px 0 0;font-family:&quot;Work Sans&quot;,sans-serif;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.15em;text-transform:uppercase;line-height:1.5;color:#6b6259\">Last reviewed October 2026<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<style>.eqp{--rc-accent:#aa3f3c;--rc-band:#f8ebea;--rc-hover:#f2dcdb;--rc-bg:#faf8f3}.eqp .eq-rc-btn{display:none}.eqp .eq-rc{position:relative}.eqp .eq-rc li[hidden]{display:block;margin:0;padding:0;height:0;line-height:0;font-size:0}.eqp .eq-rc li.rc-off{display:none}.eqp .eq-rc.is-collapsed::after{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:0;right:0;bottom:0;height:76px;background:linear-gradient(to bottom,transparent,var(--rc-bg) 94%);pointer-events:none}.eqp .eq-rc ~ .eq-rc-btn{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:8px;box-sizing:border-box;min-width:260px;min-height:48px;margin:22px 0 0;padding:12px 26px;background:var(--rc-band);color:var(--rc-accent);border:1.5px solid var(--rc-accent);border-radius:9px;font-family:\"Work Sans\",system-ui,sans-serif;font-size:15px;font-weight:600;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:normal;text-transform:none;text-decoration:none;text-align:center;box-shadow:none;cursor:pointer;-webkit-appearance:none;appearance:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent}.eqp .eq-rc ~ .eq-rc-btn:hover{background:var(--rc-hover);color:var(--rc-accent)}.eqp .eq-rc ~ .eq-rc-btn:focus-visible{outline:3px solid var(--rc-accent);outline-offset:3px}.eqp .eq-rc-chev{flex:0 0 auto;width:8px;height:8px;margin-top:-4px;border-right:2px solid currentColor;border-bottom:2px solid currentColor;transform:rotate(45deg);transition:transform .2s ease}.eqp .eq-rc-btn[aria-expanded=\"true\"] .eq-rc-chev{margin-top:4px;transform:rotate(-135deg)}@media (max-width:640px){.eqp .eq-rc ~ .eq-rc-btn{display:flex;width:100%;min-width:0;margin:18px 0 0;padding:12px 10px}}@media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.eqp .eq-rc-chev{transition:none}}@media print{.eqp .eq-rc-btn{display:none!important}.eqp .eq-rc::after{display:none!important}.eqp .eq-rc li[hidden]{display:list-item!important;content-visibility:visible!important;height:auto!important;font-size:inherit!important;line-height:inherit!important}.eqp .eq-rc li.rc-off{display:list-item!important}}<\/style>\n<style id=\"eq-sweep-2829-20oct\">\n\/* 20 Oct sweep (2829), no text change.\n   D1 Contents box, the 20 Oct toc fix from OCD, Thoughts and Cortisol: 13px part labels and header, minutes in the\n      darker body grey, part titles balanced, the open arrow level with the first title line on touch screens and phones,\n      and the Part 1 row (no sections) back on one line with its PART label and minutes on tablets.\n   D2 Working with this heading: a real heading on phones (20px floor), the house curve above.\n   D3 Your worry list: 44px controls below 900px and on any touch screen (the phone rule stopped at 640px).\n   D4 Lone last words: pretty on running text, balance on headings 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demand.<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-d2a766d4 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1708\" src=\"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mid-shot-woman-therapist-taking-notes-clipboard-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A therapist taking notes on a clipboard during a session\" class=\"wp-image-230\" style=\"width:100%;height:340px;object-fit:cover;object-position:center 40%;border-radius:22px 22px 0 0;display:block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mid-shot-woman-therapist-taking-notes-clipboard-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mid-shot-woman-therapist-taking-notes-clipboard-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mid-shot-woman-therapist-taking-notes-clipboard-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mid-shot-woman-therapist-taking-notes-clipboard-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mid-shot-woman-therapist-taking-notes-clipboard-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/div>\n<div hidden data-eq-related=\"2778,2503,2873\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background eq-ondark has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f761ea3b wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#3a3871;border-radius:0px 0px 22px 22px;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:80px;padding:52px\">\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#e9e8f6;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:14px;font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.16em;line-height:1.4\">WORKING WITH THIS<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family\" id=\"when-worry-will-not-wait\" style=\"color:#ffffff;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:18px;font-size:clamp(16.293px, 1.018rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.989), 25px);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;line-height:1.28\">When worry will not wait<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#ffffff;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:30px;font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.455), 18px);line-height:1.7\">If worry is filling your days or keeping you awake, you don\u2019t have to sort it out on your own. Talking it through can help you see where it comes from, and what actually settles it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-element-button\" href=\"\/individual-session\/\" style=\"border-radius:9px;color:#2a2622;background-color:#faf8f3;padding:15px 30px;font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.284), 16.5px);font-weight:700\">Book a session<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button footer_b\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-work-sans-regular-font-family wp-element-button\" href=\"\/contact\/\" style=\"border-color:#cfcde6;border-width:1.5px;border-style:solid;border-radius:9px;color:#ffffff;padding:15px 30px;font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.284), 16.5px);font-weight:600\">Get in touch<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What happens when you give your worries an appointment, why \u201cnot now\u201d works better than \u201cstop it\u201d, how to try it this week, what to do when worry turns up at night, and how worry differs from rumination<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4714,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":2203,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-time"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2829"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2829\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4626,"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2829\/revisions\/4626"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/equilibriumpsychotherapy.net\/hr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}