Advice About Worry From Scarlett O’Hara? (Part 1)

Even if you haven’t seen Gone With the Wind you’ve probably heard the famous line “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.” But do you know what Scarlett O’Hara said shortly thereafter?… “I can’t think about this now. I’ll go crazy if I do. I’ll think about it tomorrow.” and then she closed the door. If you saw the film, you certainly wouldn’t think of going to Scarlett for advice, but she was spot on in this case. 

Research shows that trying to stop worrying is not only ineffective, it actually makes you  worry more. However, postponing worry can be very helpful. For example, if you are eating dinner and worrying about work you might decide to think about it tomorrow on your commute. If working from home you can think about it when you’re getting ready or during the kids nap. Once you decide you don’t want to worry at any given time: 1) Decide when you want to address your concerns, 2) (optional) Visualize yourself “closing the door” (turning off the computer, closing the car door, closing the front door to the place you work). 3) Use a relaxation strategy and then 4) Follow through at the designated time.  Come back soon for more on this strategy.