The Worry Window

Overthinking often grows when worries spread throughout the entire day.
This exercise helps you contain them, instead of fighting them.

Step 1 – Choose your worry window

Pick a fixed moment each day for worrying.
Set a timer for 15 minutes.
Choose a time that is not right before going to bed.

This is your official worry time.

Step 2 – Postpone worries

Whenever a worrying thought pops up outside this time, do the following:

• Acknowledge it: “This is a worry.”
• Tell yourself: “Not now. I’ll think about this later.”
• Gently return your attention to what you were doing.

You don’t have to solve the thought.
You only have to delay it.

Step 3 – Worry on purpose

When your 15 minutes begin:

• Let your worries come.
• Write them down if that helps.
• You are allowed to worry fully and consciously.

No fixing, no judging, no suppressing — just noticing.

Step 4 – Stop when time is up

When the timer ends:

• Close your notebook (if you used one).
• Say to yourself: “That’s enough for today.”
• Move on to something physical or concrete (walking, making tea, tidying up).

Why this works

• Worries lose power when they are limited in time.
• Your mind learns that worrying is not urgent.
• Many worries feel less important — or disappear — when their moment arrives.

Important note

You are not trying to eliminate worries.
You are training yourself to decide when to think — instead of being pulled into thinking all day.