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Anxiety, stress & panic

Worry time and the worry tree

Sort worries into ones you can act on and ones you can't — then give the second kind a set time.

About 12 minutes · 6 questionsCBT
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Anxiety, stress & panic~12 minCBT

Worry time and the worry tree

Sort worries into ones you can act on and ones you can't — then give the second kind a set time.

Why this helps

Postponing worry to a set 'worry time' each day reduced worrying in studies by Borkovec and colleagues. The 'worry tree' (Butler & Hope) splits practical problems, which need a plan, from hypothetical what-ifs, which need letting go.

  1. When a worry shows up, ask: is this a problem I can do something about right now?
  2. If yes, make a plan and take the first step.
  3. If no, write it down and postpone it to your worry time.
  4. Worry time: 15–20 minutes, same time each day, not right before bed. When it's over, stop.

1. What I've been worrying about

2. Practical worries — things I can act on — and the first step for each

3. Hypothetical 'what ifs' I can't do anything about right now

4. My daily worry time (when and where)

6:30pm at the kitchen table, 15 minutes

5. What I'll tell myself when a worry pops up outside worry time

"Noted. That's for 6:30."

6. After a week: what happened to the worries I postponed?

From the Workbook on Amity Connect, via RecoveryHome.comFor reflection and practice — not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. In crisis, call or text 988.amityconnect.com/app/workbook/worry-time
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About this worksheet
It comes from the Amity Connect workbook, built by the same team as RecoveryHome, and is free to print and share. It's for reflection and practice — not a diagnosis, and not a substitute for professional care. Content is never written or edited by advertisers. If you're in crisis, call or text 988.

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