Are you a worrier? Do you spend every day (and often your nights) stressing about what’s happened in the past, what might happen in the future, and what’s currently happening right now?
Many people find themselves caught in a spiralling web of worry unable to rid themselves of the repetitive thoughts whirring around in their minds.
You might be relieved to know that this is not uncommon because worrying is a natural response to life’s uncertainties and challenges. It’s a way for our brains to try and anticipate and solve problems. However, excessive worrying can be detrimental to our mental and physical health. So what’s the solution?
We have a simple yet effective technique.
Enter the humble sticky note, a tool that can help you organise your thoughts, prioritise your concerns, and take steps to find answers to your troubles. You will need a pad of sticky notes in various colours, a biro and a bright marker pen.
Step 1: The Power of the Pen:
Don’t hold back; write down anything and everything that’s bothering you, no matter how big or small. Use different coloured sticky notes to represent different categories of worries. For example, you could use yellow for work-related concerns, blue for personal issues, and green for anything else.
Step 2: Organise and Prioritise:
Once you have all your worries and concerns written on separate sticky notes, it’s time to organise them. Lay them out on a table or a wall. Now prioritise from left to right or top to bottom and number them. This step helps you gain clarity about which worries require immediate attention and which can wait.
Step 3: Break It Down:
Now, starting with number 1, take each worry one at a time. Working through the ones that are most urgent or bothering you the most. For each sticky note, ask these 3 questions:
- Is it within my control? Determine whether the worry is something you have the power to influence or change. If it’s beyond your control, it may not be productive to dwell on it.
- What can I do about it? If the worry is within your control, consider practical steps you can take to address it. Make a list of actions or solutions that could help resolve the issue, (see step 4).
- What are the potential outcomes? Consider the possible consequences of your actions or inaction regarding the worry. Try to anticipate both positive and negative outcomes, and weigh the risks and benefits of different approaches.
Step 4: Create an Action Plan:
Now with potential solutions or actions identified, it’s time to create an action plan. Create a to-do list. Write down specific steps you need to take to address each worry and be as detailed as possible. For example;
- A health-related concern: Schedule a doctor’s appointment for a check-up. Journal your sleep routine and your dietary and exercise habits to see if you can work out a pattern.
- A financial concern: List all outstanding debts, then create a monthly budget to manage expenses and allocate funds for debt repayment.
- A relationship Issue: Initiate an open and honest conversation with the family member. If this is not possible, write them a letter to try and find a solution. Seek mediation or counselling services if necessary. Identify specific triggers for arguments and strategies to address them.
Now that you have your plan in place, it’s time to take action. Start tackling each task one by one. As you complete them, you can remove the corresponding sticky notes and put them in the bin or using a bright marker pen, mark a huge tick across the note. This visual representation of progress can be incredibly motivating.
Step 5: Reflect and Adjust:
Take a moment to reflect on your progress. Are you making headway in addressing your worries? Are there new concerns that have arisen? Adjust your action plan as needed and continue working through your worries until you’ve addressed them all.
