Tomorrow’s Box
Some worries don’t need sorting out right now. Put them in the box, and come back to them at a time you choose.
The box is kept only in this browser, on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere.
This browser isn’t letting the box be kept, so it will empty when you close this page.
The box is empty.
It’s worry time.
Find a quiet spot and give yourself about fifteen minutes. Then open the box and look at each worry in turn.
Does this still worry you?
That’s all of them.
How it helps
Worries have a habit of turning up at the worst moments. This gives them an appointment instead.
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Put it in the box
When a worry turns up, write it down in a few words and put it away. You haven’t ignored it, you’ve saved it for later.
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Choose a worry time
Pick a time when you’ll have fifteen minutes to yourself, and not just before bed.
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Open it later
Look at each worry in turn. Some will have shrunk. For those that haven’t, think of one small step.
This is based on worry postponement, a technique from cognitive behavioural therapy first studied by psychologist Thomas Borkovec and colleagues in the 1980s. Setting worries aside for a planned time can make them feel less urgent in the moment.
It works best with practice, so don’t worry if it feels odd at first. (Yes, I noticed.)