Because the world around us has changed radically in a short time, there is a chance that you will worry more than usual. This makes sense because you’re probably trying to take control of a situation.

Worrying, harmless in itself, can be very annoying and ruin your mood, without coming to a solution for your problems. It takes energy and can also keep you awake.

For the “worriers” among us, here are some tools to learn how to handle worrying and to help you calm down.

1. Make sure you have a good structure in your day. Make an agenda for what you want to do on a day, and don’t forget to take breaks during the day.
2. Schedule at a fixed time during the day half an hour for a constructive “worrying session” (2x 15 minutes is also an option).
3. During the “worrying session” write down all the topics that you are worrying about. It doesn’t matter if they seem irrelevant or too big. If they ask for your attention, just write them down.
4. Pick a topic and think about all possible solutions. Write these down too. Then start to think about all the possible consequences of that solution. Also write down these consequences etc. You can also write down and elaborate the answer ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I can’t know’. Think about what you can do when you don’t know what will happen?
5. Think if there is a solution and if there are people who can help you with it
6. After your “worrying session”, look for distraction. Do something to get you out of the mood, call someone else or do some exercising.
7. If you do worry outside the sessions, write down the topics briefly to work them out later.

The advantage of writing is that you don’t have to remember everything you think about. Another advantage is that you can read what you have written down. You don’t have to rethink everything. That saves a lot of energy and it will also affect your mood less.

By writing at a set time each day, it becomes a habit that you will end up worrying less outside the “worrying sessions”.