We all worry from time to time. Worries are normal and are a part of everyday life. Worries can be about money, work, family, health, the news and media, they can be about anything. They can feel overwhelming because when we experience worries we start to develop anxiety and it affects our mental wellbeing.
It has been estimated that on a typical day a person has thousands and thousands of thoughts going through their mind. If a lot of those thoughts are worries, then consider the impact that it will have on one’s anxiety.
You might be surprised to know but there are positive aspects of worry. Worry is a good thing when it motivates us to deal with situations we go through. An example is when we are preparing for interviews or exams. If we don’t have anxiety in those situations, we might end up not preparing adequately which will then result in us not doing well. The worry we experience can lead us to search for solutions to difficult situations. If we didn’t have any worries that would be a problem because we would be so carefree.
Worrying becomes a problem if we don’t manage it in a healthy way, because it can start affecting our mental wellbeing. Worries can be negative because they can occupy and overwhelm our minds.
The most important aspect of dealing with worries is learning to manage them in a healthy way. We can learn how to manage our worries in a healthy way using worry management strategies.
Here are steps you can take to manage your worries and improve your mental wellbeing
- Identify the type of worries you are experiencing
We experience different types of worries, which are either practical or hypothetical. You can learn to identify the type of worry you are experiencing and strategies that we use in dealing with the practical worries will be different from those we use in dealing with hypothetical worries.
- Deal with practical worries using problem solving
Practical worries are usually everyday worries. A typical example of practical worries would be about finances or work problems. They are termed “practical worries” because usually they would require a practical solution in order to deal with them. An example of a practical worry can be a financial worry about a debt. Your solution can be to sell your car and buy a cheaper one which will help pay for the debt. We call this process problem solving.
- Put aside hypothetical worries using ‘worry time’
Hypothetical worries are different from practical worries because they are worries about issues or situations that are beyond our control. They are worries about situations that are down to chance. Hypothetical worries are as problematic as practical worries because they also cause anxiety. It’s a good idea to learn to let go of hypothetical worries because all they do is cause anxiety and do not add any value. Practical worries on the other hand are valuable.
Letting go of hypothetical worries is easier said than done, but we can develop habits that can help us learn to let go, such as ‘worry time’ method. Worry time involves setting aside a time which we use to worry about the worries we have identified as being hypothetical. We can do this by setting aside 20-30 minutes of our day to worry specifically about the hypothetical worries. This method works because it helps us contain our worries. It’s like putting worries in a box and then only opening the box when you need to.
- Have hobbies and activities
Having hobbies and meaningful activities outside of work is also key to managing worries and that’s because we are less likely to engage in worrying when we are busy. It’s also a good idea to have an exercise routine.
Ultimately the more we get into a habit of managing worries the better for our anxiety and mental wellbeing in the long term. For more guidance on managing worries, check out the worry management guide.