Scheduling Worry Time Helps Me Manage Anxiety

Have you heard of worry time? As someone who struggles with anxiety, I have been getting more anxious about the future than ever. This fear and worry seep into everything I do at all times of the day. From waking up to going to work and then back to bed, my mind is constantly filled with anxious thoughts about what the future will look like for me. This interferes with my daily life and makes me feel mentally exhausted. To cope with this, my therapist recently introduced me to a technique that involves allocating a "worry time." This involves me picking out a time during my day that is specifically dedicated to worrying. While this sounds like a strange concept, it has greatly benefitted me. 

How Scheduling a Worry Time Helped Me

Every time a stressful thought crosses my mind, I don't interact with it and, instead, postpone the thought to my "worry time." Here's how it helps me:

1. I spend less time worrying. Instead of spending the entire day worrying, I spend only 30 minutes worrying during the worry time I have allocated for myself. This way, I'm able to get through the day and complete my tasks without my anxiety interfering in between. Knowing that I had a productive day where I didn't spend a lot of time worrying helps me feel good about myself. 
2. It helps me think rationally. When I'm worrying throughout the day, I'm not able to concentrate on work, nor am I able to tackle my anxious thoughts. With a "worry time," I'm able to think things through. It helps me to write down what I'm thinking on a piece of paper. Since most of my thoughts are related to worrying about the future, I tend to realize how much of it is not in my control. This helps me let go of the thought.  
3. I feel energized. With less time spent on worrying, my thoughts no longer mentally drain me. I feel energized throughout the day. 

Putting a limit on the amount of time I spend worrying has helped me be less stressed and happier. Have you ever tried scheduling a "worry time?" How did it work out for you? Tell me in the comments below.