Feel great: fret for 15 minutes a day: setting aside time to worry will brighten your day - Mind, Body, Spirit - Brief Article

Natural Health, August, 2003

WHEN YOUR WORRIES START TO consume your thoughts, don't brush them off. Instead set aside 15 to 30 minutes every day to focus on those worries, advises Jonathan Davidson, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. During this time, really zero in on your concerns. When your worry time is up, set them aside until the next day. This exercise will help you feel more in control so you will be less likely to worry all day long.

Sound easier said than done? Davidson tells you how to make this technique work for you.

Seek Out a Serene Spot. Find a quiet place to spend your worry time so you can devote your full attention to what bothers you.

Make a List. Jot down your concerns and prioritize them from most important to least. Look at your list and see if you can cross off any of your more trivial concerns.

Brainstorm. Write down possible solutions to the worries left on your list. Formulating a plan to tackle your concerns head-on will prevent them from growing larger.

Stick to Your Schedule. If you start to fret again before your next designated worry session, tell yourself to stop. As simple as this sounds, it works.