Worry time

Worry time means giving worries a short, fixed slot each day instead of letting them run all day. Choose a time and a length, such as 10 or 15 minutes. When a worry comes up, write it down and park it until then. At worry time, go through the list and cross out the ones that no longer matter.

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1. Choose your worry time

For

Pick a time you can keep most days. Try it for a week and move it if it doesn’t suit you.

2. Park worries as they come

Write it down, then go back to what you were doing.

Nothing parked yet.

3. At worry time, go through the list

How to do worry time

The NHS suggests writing your worries down and setting aside a short "worry time", say 10 or 15 minutes, every day or so. When a worry comes up outside it, tell yourself you will set it aside for your worry time.

  1. Pick a time and a length you can keep most days, and add the reminder to your calendar.
  2. When a worry turns up, park it in one line and go back to what you were doing.
  3. At worry time, read each one. Cross out the ones that no longer matter. Put the rest through the worry tree, or worry about them on purpose until the time is up.
  4. When the time is up, stop. Tomorrow starts with a fresh list.

Does it work?

A 2024 review of 7 randomised trials with 999 participants found that postponing worries to a set worry period, practised for a week to a month, reduced how often and how long people worried in daily life, compared with only writing worries down. The effects were small, and long-term follow-up studies are still lacking.

So the effect is small: treat worry time as one simple step, not a fix for worry.

Questions people ask

What if I can’t wait until worry time?

That is normal at first. Write the worry down anyway, tell yourself you will come back to it, and turn to something that needs your attention.

Does the calendar reminder include my worries?

No. It only says “Worry time”. Your list stays in this browser on this device, and “Delete everything” removes it.

Can I use it on paper instead?

Yes. The worksheets page has a printable worry time list.

When to get help

These are self-help tools, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Talk to a doctor, or one of the lines below, if:

  • the thoughts stop you sleeping, working or seeing people most days;
  • you feel low or hopeless most of the time, or you have thoughts of harming yourself;
  • the thoughts feel unwanted and push you to check things or ask for reassurance again and again. OCD involves unwanted, intrusive thoughts that keep coming back, and compulsions such as asking for reassurance or checking. The NHS says it is important to get help if it has a significant impact on your life.

Free, confidential lines

  • US:988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text 988Free and confidential, 24/7. You can also chat at 988lifeline.org.
  • UK & Ireland:Samaritans116 123Free to call, day or night.
  • UK:NHS 111111, mental health optionUrgent help from the NHS when it is not an emergency.

If someone's life is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent help in the UK, use NHS 111 online or call 111 and choose the mental health option. In the US, in life-threatening situations, call 911. Elsewhere, call your local emergency number.

Sources

  1. Tackling your worries. NHS Every Mind Matters. nhs.uk
  2. Dippel A, Brosschot JF, Verkuil B (2024). Effects of Worry Postponement on Daily Worry: a Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy 17(1):160–178. doi:10.1007/s41811-023-00193-x
  3. Chellingsworth M, Farrand P, Rayson K (2013). Dealing with Worry in Low Intensity CBT. University of Exeter (CEDAR), via East London NHS Foundation Trust. elft.nhs.uk (PDF)
  4. Symptoms - Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). NHS. nhs.uk
  5. Where to get urgent help for mental health. NHS. nhs.uk
  6. Suicide Prevention. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). nimh.nih.gov
  7. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988lifeline.org
  8. Contact a Samaritan. Samaritans. samaritans.org

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