Lesson 12: The Worry Time Technique
Module 5, Working with behavior: a structured way to postpone worry to a specific, short period each day.
The previous lesson drew a line between worry and problem-solving. This lesson offers a practical technique for managing the worry side: giving it a time and place, rather than letting it run all day.
Module: 5, Working with behavior
Learning objective
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to describe the worry time technique, understand why postponing worry works, and set up a worry time of your own.
The concept: stimulus control for worry
The technique was developed from stimulus control principles originally applied to insomnia. In 1983, Borkovec and colleagues reasoned that if worry could be confined to a specific time and place, it would gradually lose its grip on the rest of the day [1].
The idea is straightforward: instead of worrying whenever a worry arrives, you postpone it to a set period. The worry is still allowed. You’re not suppressing it. You’re changing when and where it happens.
How to do it
- Choose a time. Pick 15–30 minutes at the same time each day. Late afternoon or early evening works well. Avoid the hour before bed.
- Choose a place. A specific chair or spot, not your bed and not your desk.
- During the day: When a worry arrives, notice it, write it down in a few words (on your phone or a notepad), and return to what you were doing.
- During worry time: Sit down with your list. Go through each item. Worry about it if it still bothers you. If it doesn’t, cross it off.
- When the time is up, stop. Close the list. Return to your evening.
Why it works
Several mechanisms are at play:
- Many worries expire. By the time you reach your scheduled period, a surprising number of worries have resolved themselves or no longer feel urgent.
- It breaks the cycle of immediate engagement. The worry cycle is maintained partly by responding to every worry as though it requires immediate attention. Postponing interrupts this.
- It restores a sense of control. Worry feels uncontrollable. Choosing when to do it is a small but meaningful shift in the relationship.
- It reduces total worry time. A study on worry postponement found that participants who used the technique reported fewer worry episodes and lower worry severity compared to a monitoring-only control group [2].
A worked example
The following is a fictional example used for teaching.
Suki worries throughout the day about her mother’s health, upcoming deadlines, and whether she’s saving enough money. The worries start when she wakes up and continue until she sleeps.
She sets her worry time for 5:30 pm, in the armchair in her living room.
Tuesday morning: While making breakfast, she thinks, “What if mum’s test results are bad?” She writes “Mum’s results” on her phone and continues making breakfast.
Tuesday afternoon: At work, she thinks, “I’ll never finish the project on time.” She writes “Project deadline” and returns to the task in front of her.
5:30 pm: She sits in the armchair with her list. “Mum’s results” — she realizes the appointment isn’t until Thursday and there’s nothing she can do today. She crosses it off. “Project deadline” — still relevant. She spends five minutes thinking about it and writes a concrete next step: email Tom about the data.
5:50 pm: Time’s up. She closes the list.
Over two weeks, Suki notices that about half her worries don’t survive until the evening. The ones that do are often the ones she can actually do something about.
A common misunderstanding
“Worry time means I’m giving myself permission to worry more.” The technique doesn’t increase worry; it contains it. The total amount of worry typically decreases because the constant background hum is replaced by a bounded period. Wells includes worry postponement in metacognitive therapy, noting that it helps the person discover that worry is more controllable than it feels [3].
Optional reflection
Try setting up a worry time for the next three days. Choose your time and place. When a worry arrives outside that window, write it in a few words and return to what you were doing. At the end of three days, notice how many worries on your list still matter by the time you sit down with them.
When to get support. If worry is so constant that the postponement feels impossible, or if you find that worry time becomes an extended rumination session that leaves you more distressed, talk to a GP or therapist. Worry time is a component of treatment, not a replacement for it, especially if the worry meets criteria for generalized anxiety disorder [4]. If you are in crisis, contact emergency services or a crisis line: in the UK and Ireland, Samaritans on 116 123; in the US, call or text 988.
Recap
- Worry time involves postponing worry to a specific 15–30 minute period each day.
- When a worry arises outside that window, you note it briefly and redirect your attention.
- Research shows this reduces overall worry frequency and severity.
- Many worries lose their urgency by the time the scheduled period arrives.
- The technique restores a sense of control over when and where worry happens.
Previous lesson: Lesson 11: Worry vs Problem-Solving | Next lesson: Lesson 13: Catastrophizing and Decatastrophizing
Frequently asked questions
How does worry time work?
You choose a fixed time and place each day, usually 15–30 minutes. When a worry arises outside that time, you write it down briefly and return your attention to what you were doing. During the scheduled period, you review your list and worry about each item if it still feels relevant. Many items will have lost their charge by then.
Won't postponing worry make it build up?
Research suggests the opposite. A study on worry postponement found that participants who postponed worry to a set time reported less overall worry, not more. The technique doesn't suppress worry; it delays it. The worry is still allowed, just at a time you choose rather than whenever it arrives.
What if I can't stop worrying outside the scheduled time?
This is normal at first. The technique is a skill that improves with practice. The aim is not to block the worry but to notice it, write it down, and gently redirect attention. If the worry returns, note it again. Over days and weeks, the pattern becomes easier.
When should I schedule my worry time?
Choose a time that is consistent and not too close to bedtime. Late afternoon or early evening works for many people. Avoid doing it in bed, as this can associate the bed with worry and interfere with sleep.
Sources and further reading
- Borkovec, Wilkinson, Folensbee and Lerman — Stimulus control applications to the treatment of worry
Behaviour Research and Therapy, 1983;21(3):247–251. Original stimulus control procedure for worry, including worry postponement. DOI: 10.1016/0005-7967(83)90206-1.
- McGowan and Behar — A preliminary investigation of stimulus control training for worry
Behavior Modification, 2013;37(1):90–112. Study showing worry postponement reduced worry episodes and pathological worry severity. DOI: 10.1177/0145445512455661.
- Wells — Metacognitive therapy for anxiety and depression
2009. Guilford Press. Includes worry postponement as a component of metacognitive therapy.
- Borkovec and Costello — Efficacy of applied relaxation and cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1993;61(4):611–619. DOI: 10.1037//0022-006x.61.4.611.
- Verkuil, Brosschot, Putman and Thayer — Interacting effects of worry and anxiety on attentional disengagement from threat
Behaviour Research and Therapy, 2009;47(2):146–152. DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2008.11.003.
Sources checked October 16, 2026. This is an editorial summary, not a systematic review or individual advice.