Handouts · Anxiety
Worry Management
Worry pretends to be problem-solving, but it usually just spins. These skills help you use the useful part of worry and let go of the rest.
Why Worry Sticks
Worry feels productive, so the brain keeps doing it — but replaying a fear isn't the same as solving it. Chronic worry keeps your alarm system switched on and rarely changes the outcome.
The goal isn't to stop caring. It's to worry on purpose, then set it down.
Sort the Worry
Ask one question: Can I do something about this right now?
- Yes — solvable: make a plan and take the next step.
- No — hypothetical: it's a "what if." Practice letting it pass.
For Solvable Worries
- Define the actual problem in one sentence.
- List possible actions — even imperfect ones.
- Pick one and schedule it.
- Then let the rest go until then.
Schedule "Worry Time"
- Set a daily 15-minute worry appointment (not near bedtime).
- When a worry pops up, jot it down and say "later."
- At worry time, review the list — many won't matter anymore.
- This trains your brain that worries don't need instant attention.
Let Hypotheticals Pass
- Picture the worry as a leaf floating down a stream — notice it, let it drift by.
- Label it: "I'm having the thought that…" — that creates distance.
- Return attention to the present: your breath, your senses, the task at hand.
Try It Now
A worry on my mind:
Solvable or hypothetical?
Next step, or how I'll let it go:
Notice the "what ifs." Worry almost always lives in the future. When you catch a spiral, gently ask: "Is this a problem I can act on now, or a story about later?" That single question does a lot of the work.