The Power of Scheduled Worry Time: How Setting Aside Time to Feel Can Set You Free
Ever feel like your brain just won’t shut up? Like no matter how hard you try to distract yourself, your worries keep creeping back in? You tell yourself, Stop overthinking!! …but that only makes it worse.
What if I told you that giving yourself permission to worry—but on your own terms—could actually help you stress less? Sounds weird, right? But that’s exactly what Scheduled Worry Time is all about.
What is Scheduled Worry Time?
Scheduled Worry Time is pretty much what it sounds like—picking a specific time of day to sit down and focus on all the stuff that’s been bothering you. Instead of letting worries hijack your entire day, you tell yourself, Not now, but I’ll deal with this during my Worry Time.
It might sound counterintuitive, but there’s legit research behind it. This technique is used in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help people manage anxiety and overthinking. And guess what? It actually works.
Why Does This Work?
Our minds are stubborn. If you try to push a thought away, it just bounces back even harder (thanks, Brain! 🤦♀️). But when you set aside time to process your worries on purpose, a few cool things happen:
- You stop worrying all day long. Instead of carrying stress 24/7, you train your brain to hold off until your scheduled time.
- You get better at handling emotions. Knowing you have a set time to process things helps you avoid suppressing or ignoring feelings.
- Your worries start to lose their grip. By the time your Worry Time rolls around, some of those so-called “big worries” won’t even feel worth stressing over anymore.
How to Use Scheduled Worry Time in Your Life
- Pick a Time – Choose a specific time (say, 6:30 PM for 20 minutes). Just don’t do it too close to bedtime—nobody wants to spiral before sleep.
- Create a “Worry Parking Lot” – When you catch yourself worrying during the day, jot it down in a note on your phone or a journal. Then remind yourself, I’ll deal with this later.
- Actually Let Yourself Worry – When your scheduled time comes, sit down and let it all out. Write things down, think things through—whatever helps. No distractions. No avoidance. Just you and your thoughts.
- End With Something Positive – Once the time’s up, close the journal, stand up, and do something enjoyable—take a walk, blast your favourite song, scroll through funny dog videos. The point is to shift your mood afterward.
What if I Still Feel Stressed?
Let’s be real—this isn’t a magic trick that makes worries disappear instantly. Instead, over time, your brain gets better at compartmentalising stress instead of letting it run the show. You’ll start realising that not everything needs immediate attention, and that’s a game-changer.
Take-home Message?
Scheduled Worry Time puts YOU in control of your thoughts, instead of letting them call the shots. By setting aside time to worry intentionally, you can free up the rest of your day for more important things—like actually enjoying life.
Give it a shot—seriously, what do you have to lose (besides endless overthinking)?
Struggling with anxiety, depression, or mental health challenges? You don’t have to face it alone. Contact aMAZEin’ Minds Psychology today today for specialised CBT support tailored to your needs.